• Encourage awareness and understanding of the through-life costs of conserving, restoring and maintaining historic vessels;
  • Make available to the public research into ship preservation and conservation techniques and provide a directory of skills and services;
  • Promote the availability and standards of ship and boat conservation skills and training, and share experience and expertise across the sector, particularly through establishing a number of centres of excellence;
  • Develop and promote professional standards of good practice for the conservation and restoration of historic vessels;
  • Raise awareness among trusts and owners about good practice and fund-raising opportunities;
  • Provide guidance to trusts and owners about business planning and interpretation to make ships become more self-sustaining and attractive to new audiences;
  • Advise on documentation and recording techniques in cases where vessels are beyond physical and economic preservation;
  • Promote the case for historic ships to a wider audience and monitor practice in other countries.
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