Saturday 1st February 2025

dys : hrs : min : sec

Countdown to conference


International Maritime Archaeological & Shipwreck Society


IMASS was first established in 1982 as the South West section of the Nautical Archaeological Society. Due to the success of the local organisation and its Shipwreck Conference, it was decided to form IMASS to cater for a more diverse membership and conference delegates many of whom come from across the UK and overseas.

IMASS promote the interest of all sections of society who have a shared interest in Shipwrecks, especially those of the amateur diver and non academic researchers and historians who undertake the majority of the work on the UK’s Protected Wrecks and the research on our maritime heritage.

Yearly membership of IMASS is included free with attendance to the conference, unless you specifically request not to be included on the membership list.

We aim to provide the conference at the lowest cost. To keep prices down :

  • We do not pay the speakers
  • We can only pay local expenses so international speakers pay for their own flights
  • The conference organisers do not get paid
  • We do not produce expensive conference packs or advertising, all the money goes into the conference itself
  • Each year the conference is expanded to include new features and it gets bigger each year

The International Shipwreck Conference is run by wreck enthusiasts for enthusiasts. Our aim is to provide a meeting place for divers, explorers, archaeologists and salvors as well as government and commercial organisations. The organisers are all divers with interests in maritime archaeology and history and the varied nature of the speakers reflects this. A conference can include a world renowned archaeologist alongside a treasure hunter, followed by a diver working on a local project.

This conference provides high quality speakers for considerably less cost than other conferences and is not just for academics. This is the only regular conference of its kind in the UK and one of the few in the world where archaeologists and salvors can meet.

The Shipwreck Conference talks have a variety of themes including:


Treasure

There is a considerable amount of treasure still beneath the sea


Maritime Archaeology

There is a wealth of Maritime Archaeology in the worlds waters


Technical Diving

Technical diving has enabled divers & archaeologists to explore the shipwrecks first hand.


Salvors

A conversational subject but often necessary


Maritime stories

Shipwreck often reveal many stories


Maritime Law

With more focus on conservation the law is always changing


Wartime Losses

There were many wartime losses and many more still to find


New Techniques

New techniques are being used to find and document shipwrecks using techniques such as Virtual Reality

Meet the IMASS Team

The IMASS committee is formed from both amateur and professional wreck enthusiasts who all work for the conference on a voluntary basis


President

Richard Larn OBE


Vice President

Alan Bax


Vice President

Peter McBride


Chairman

Allen Murray


Vice Chairman

Peter Holt


Secretary

Steve Roue


Treasurer

Nick Nutt


NAS Contact Officer

Jon Parlour


Ticketing Secretary

Fran Hockley


Speaker Organiser

Mallory Haas


Committee Member

Gerrard Spear


Committee Member

Vacant

Why not explore Plymouth whilst you are here…


Ray Ives Museum

Yacht Haven Quay, Breakwater Road, Plymouth, Devon, PL9 7F


Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City

There are plenty of places to visit


National Marine Aquarium

The National Marine Aquarium is the largest public aquarium in the UK welcoming 300,000 visitors per year


Shipwreck Centre

Located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Shipwreck Centre holds the largest private collection of shipwreck artefacts in Europe.