Shipwrecks, the Navy and underwater cultural heritage
About
The Sea Power Centre is proud to introduce the new Sea Power Centre Lecture Series: Understanding the Maritime Domain.The lecture series will showcase contemporary research focussed on applied history and significant issues in maritime affairs. Lectures will be given throughout the year and will be held in the Ngunnawal Theatre with online attendance available through Teams. Attendees will enjoy hearing from experts and professional speakers from across academia and Defence on a range of topics aimed at enhancing knowledge and encouraging discussion about history and contemporary affairs within the maritime domain and their relevance to Australia.
We invite you to join us for our third session for 2026 which will be presented by Maritime Archaeologist CMDR Mick de Ruyter (PhD, RAN) of Flinders University and the Sea Power Centre.
Lecture title:
Shipwrecks, the Navy and underwater cultural heritage in seabed warfare
Overview:
As the Royal Australian Navy develops the capability to reach further into the water column, and sense and deliver effects on the seabed at great depth, the expanse of seafloor over which it must consider cultural material grows. Requirements to protect cultural property during armed conflict apply equally underwater as on land and underwater cultural heritage is protected by national and international laws which apply to all maritime operations.
Maritime states, including Australia, claim ownership of their own ship and aircraft wrecks worldwide, even if unlocated. With this ownership comes the requirement to manage an extensive seabed estate, much of which is in foreign waters. Recent wreckage can also be of significant intelligence value, yielding information about the identity, capabilities and intentions of adversaries. States even bolster territorial claims and troll adversaries through shipwrecks.
This lecture considers how Navy approaches its obligations with respect to underwater cultural heritage, and how the rapidly expanding scope of seabed warfare is turning wrecks into targets.
Date
Thursday 20 August 2026 2:15 PM - 3:30 PM (UTC+10)Location
Ngunnawal Theatrette, Russell
Russell ACT 2600
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Shipwrecks, the Navy and underwater cultural heritage
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