The intrigue surrounding shipwrecks, the unravelling of the circumstances of their demise, and the history they bring to life is a real-world maritime adventure that can’t help but captivate the imagination.
And yet, the story of the Silentworld Foundation couldn’t be further from the cliches of marauding shipwreck hunters pillaging the sea for long-lost riches and fighting for first rights to important finds. A purely philanthropic venture, the foundation was established in 2007 by the owners of M/Y Silentworld, and aims to support and promote Australasian maritime archaeology, history, culture and heritage.
Recently brought to the public’s attention with the discovery of the Montevideo Maru, which had lain 4,000 metres below the sea since World War II, the foundation is doing much more than scouring the ocean’s depths. With a private collection that holds over 2,000 historical maritime objects from maps and manuscripts to shipwreck material, the scope of the foundation encompasses research projects and expeditions.
