A mini-series on the maritime history of Germany launches with a visit to the German Maritime Museum in Bremerhaven, which has recently launched a stand-out new permanent exhibition 'Ship Realms - The Ocean and Us.' Through the clever presentation of artefacts amongst immersive displays, the exhibition powerfully makes the point that, the more we know about the connection between ships, shipping and the oceans, the better we can assess how they will influence the future.

To find out more Dr Sam Willis took a tour of the new exhibition with the museum's Managing Director, Professor Ruth Schilling. We hear about the size and changing nature of the global fleet; how the shipbuilding industry and those who work in it has had a profound influence on shaping society; we hear about the importance of scientific research vessels and the competition for resources in the sea; there are sections on shipbuilding and propulsion, maritime networks and health.

The new exhibition will set a benchmark for maritime history and heritage for years to come and places the German Maritime Museum as one of the world's leading hubs of maritime heritage.

'Ships awaken longing and generate knowledge. They harness the forces of nature and change the world. There is no ship without teamwork: this applies to shipbuilding as well as to the crew on board. Ships demonstrate inventiveness and the joy of discovery. But they are also a means of and witness to the merciless exploitation of the earth - with irreversible consequences.'

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