From 13 to 17 October 2025, Ostend celebrated its maritime past during IKUWA8, the 8th World Congress on Underwater Archaeology, centered on the theme ‘Telling the Exciting Tales of Our Past’. Four hundred researchers, policymakers and heritage managers from 50 countries worldwide gathered at De Grote Post to explore the richness of our “blue heritage”. From centuries-old shipwrecks to forgotten coastal landscapes, the sea holds a treasure-trove of stories that teach us about trade, migration, war and climate change.
With lectures, workshops and excursions, IKUWA8 offered a unique view of how science, technology and heritage management strengthen one another. New techniques such as 3D scanning and drones make it possible to map underwater heritage with unprecedented precision and make it accessible to the wider public. At the same time, participants discussed pressing challenges: how do we protect these fragile remains from illegal salvage, erosion and the impacts of a changing climate?
IKUWA stands for Internationaler Kongreß für Unterwasserarchäologie. It is a network that organizes congress meetings on underwater heritage and archaeology. Its aims include raising awareness of the importance of underwater cultural heritage and promoting international cooperation in the protection, regulation and study of underwater heritage. IKUWA was founded in Germany in 1999 and has since held conferences in Rostock, Marseille, London, Zadar, Cartagena, Fremantle, Helsinki and now Ostend – typically every three to four years.
In Ostend, for the first time, the public at large was able to take part through a range of public activities. These included the GIRT workshop for divers, supported in part by VLIZ’s scientific diving team, and an outstanding lecture by James Delgado. This made underwater archaeology not only an academic topic, but also a shared experience that sparks curiosity among young and old alike.
Conference participants could also join a variety of educational excursions in Ostend (Fort Napoleon, Mercator, Amandine, the Ensor House), elsewhere along the coast (NAVIGO Museum, Raversyde, Zwin Nature Park with the Doggerland exhibition), or further inland (medieval Bruges, MAS Antwerp, Ath Espace Gallo-Romain).
With IKUWA8, Flanders firmly positioned itself as a hub for international maritime heritage research. The congress underlined that our past is not only stored in museums or archives, but also hidden beneath the waves, the beach and the coastal landscape, ready to be discovered and preserved for future generations.
The congress was co-organized by IKUWA, Flemish Heritage Agency (Agentschap Onroerend Erfgoed), Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ), Erfgoed Vlaanderen, Agence Wallonne du Patrimoine, Ghent University, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, VisitFlanders, Province of West Flanders, and City of Ostend. The event was supported by Port of Ostend, DRASSM (Département des recherches archéologiques subaquatiques et sous-marines, France) and RCE (Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands). IKUWA8 is recognised as an action within the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
In addition to being a co-organizer, VLIZ also acted as the logistical event manager and a key communications partner. VLIZ Chair Carl Decaluwé and VLIZ General Director Jan Mees delivered welcome addresses. A range of scientists and other VLIZ experts also contributed during guided visits to the research vessel RV Simon Stevin, the Marine Robotics Centre, the GIRT workshop, and through numerous lectures, posters and parallel sessions.
Three promising early-career marine professionals from Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Colombia were able to attend thanks to a grant from VLIZ’s philanthropic initiative (The Sea as a Good Cause), sponsored by C-Hotels.