Proceedings of the 2026 Conference Coming Soon!

Conference Theme

Traditions and Trajectories: Maritime Heritage and Blue Economies in Asia-Pacific

For centuries, the Asia-Pacific region has been shaped by dynamic seafaring traditions, vast trade networks, and deep cultural connections to the ocean. As the world faces mounting environmental and economic challenges, preserving maritime and underwater cultural heritage presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the future. In addition to the list of traditional panels on maritime and underwater archaeology, in 2026 we want to highlight the social and economic impact of cultural heritage management in all its forms. Hence, this conference will explore how innovative, sustainable strategies—from digital documentation and community-driven conservation to adaptive policies and blue finance—can ensure that maritime heritage contributes meaningfully to a thriving Blue Economy.

The Blue Economy in the Asia-Pacific region represents the intersection of sustainable economic development with the health of marine ecosystems, promoting industries such as sustainable fisheries, coastal tourism, renewable ocean energy, and marine biotechnology, while emphasizing the importance of human resources development and encouraging regional and international cooperation to ensure inclusive and innovative growth. By integrating heritage management with marine conservation, sustainable tourism, climate resilience, and technological innovation, this conference aims to highlight best practices and collaborative solutions that align heritage preservation with economic, social, and environmental goals.

How can historic wrecks, submerged landscapes, traditional navigation knowledge, customary marine and fisheries practices, and underwater cultural sites become valuable assets for education, tourism, and community engagement? What role can coastal communities play in safeguarding both tangible and intangible heritage? We invite scholars from a wide range of disciplines—including maritime archaeology, underwater archaeology, anthropology, ecology, marine science, public policy, environmental studies, maritime law, marine engineering, and blue economy studies—to share their research and insights. Together, let us shape a future where the preservation of maritime heritage fuels sustainable economic growth, strengthens cultural identity, and promotes ocean stewardship across the Asia-Pacific.

This conference follows the successes of the Inaugural Asian Academy for Heritage Management Asia-Pacific Regional Conference hosted by the National Museum of the Philippines in November of 2011, the 2nd Regional Conference hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the University of Hawaii Marine Option Program (2014), the 3rd Regional Conference hosted by the Hong Kong Maritime Museum (2017), the 4th Regional Conference hosted by the Bureau of Cultural Heritage (Taiwan), National Taiwan Ocean University, and the National Museum of Marine Science and Technology (Taiwan) (2021), and the 5th Regional Conference hosted by the National Research Institute of Maritime Cultural Heritage of Korea (Korea) (2023).