At the instigation of the Ministry of Culture, THE DANISH SHIP PRESERVATION TRUST was founded on May 1, 1986 by The Wooden Ships Association, The National Museum and the Danish Maritime Muserum.
This ensured the concentration of expertise on an area which, despite the rich and varied nature of Denmark´s maritime cultural history, had never been offered the detailed web of financial and professional support given to the preservation of buildings on land.
The aim of the Foundation was expresses as follows in paragraph 3 of its charter:
A very fruitful discussion of aims and means was begun within the executive committee, but as the Foundation in fact had no money at all, it was decided to write a report outlining the possibilities and extent of ship preservation activities. This report, entitled, THE PRESERVATION OF SHIPS IN DENMARK (83 pages), was published in the summer of 1989. The report describes the history of ship preservation, legislation and funding within related areas, the preservation of ships in neighbouring countries, guidelines for preservation, the number of vessels suitable for preservation, and suggestions as to how funds might be raised.
The report was discussed at a seminar in 1989, and shortly afterwards the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Culture each agreed to put up an annual sum of DKK 200,000 for a period of three years.
The most important direct form of financial support is the granting of interest-free loans with deferred repayement to the owners of vessels earmarked for preservation. In return, the owners accept an endoresement to the title deeds of the ship. This makes it attractive for owner to keep such ships in Danish hands, in agreement with the intentions of the charter of the Foundation, and THE DANISH SHIP PRESERVATION TRUST will be able to follow the subsequent work of conservation.
At the expiry of this trial period in 1992, it was expected that a more permanent arrangement would be made. However, it was not until two years later, in 1995, that THE DANISH SHIP PRESERVATION TRUST was mentioned in the national budget estimates.
From January 1, 2000, DKK 5,000,000 was set aside for THE DANISH SHIP PRESERVATION TRUST. The Foundations´ consultant and secretary were since 1995 appointed on a full-time basis to cope with the increasing number of enquiries about financial expert support for conservation projects.
Funds are granted two times a year, and owners of ships can apply using a standard registration form and application guidelines. Detailed plans for the conservation of the ship must be appended to the application. In many cases, the applicant is visited personally in order to obtain further details. A condition for support is that conservation work must be done at a recognised shipyard, though exceptions may be made in special cases.
In the period 1990-2000, the owners of about 65 ships were promised interest-free loans with deferred payment. The amount granted varies widely from DKK 30.00 to DKK 2.500.000, but an average would be about DKK 150,000. In addition, expert help has been given regarding the conservation of a large number of ships.
Because financial support for the Foundation has been stepped up considerably, much larger projects can be tackled in the future than was previously the case. In 1999, for example, a loan of DKK 2,500,000 has been granted. This will cover most of the cost of the complete renovation of a little two-masted fishingboat from 1908.
In connection with the granting of loans, THE DANISH SHIP PRESERVATION TRUST lays down a number of conditions for conservation, but can of course in such cases make ever stricter demancs with regard to the cultural-historical correctness of the work of conservation.
Over the years there has arisen an acute need for capital to finance major conservation projects, capital which owners of ships have had difficulty in raising. As a result, many ships are in a worse condition today than was originally believed, which in turn means that the need for financial support far exceeds original estimates.
One of the most serious problems today is that of generational change. Many of those who own ships are today approaching pensionalbe age and often have all their savings tied up in their ship. Naturally, they want to sell to the highest bidder. By granting interest-free loans with deferred payment, THE DANISH SHIP PRESERVATION TRUST will help a new generation of young Danes who are interested in taking over the ships.
Apart from arranging loans, the Foundation also provides extensive advisory services for other Danish authorities and the Danish Shipping Board. For example, the Foundation has been represented on a committee dealing with the safety of ships, work that has just led to new legislation in thes area.
The fact that THE DANISH SHIP PRESERVATION TRUST now has access to funds enabling it to offer more than token help is still a new situation. Yet it is clear that the deeper one opens op hulls of ships in connection with major repairs, the more money will be needed in the long run. It is clear to us today that help has arrived twenty years too late, and our aim must be the injection of an annual sum larger than the DKK 5.000.000 now available.