About Us

Our Mission

The mission of CDPI is to promote the maritime heritage of the Clyde region as a modern and evolving concept - as much about contemporary and future developments and activity as it is about the history. We are concerned with the "living heritage" that is constantly evolving and what we leave for future generations.

 

We aim to encourage retention, investment in, and sustainable use of historic dock sites and other maritime infrastructure on the Clyde in ways that benefit communities, the economy, and the maritime environment of the region.

 

Our approach is built on outreach and collaboration, but we are equally prepared to hold stakeholders and policy makers to account, and to challenge failures to adequately address key issues of concern.

Modern Maritime Heritage

 

Maritime heritage is at the very heart of CDPI's strategy and we have adopted a modern and progressive approach to addressing it.

 

Maritime heritage is well understood as including historic vessels, historic sites, museums and stories/images of our maritime past and these are important. However, we are concerned primarily with the modern dimension of maritime heritage and how it is something that is constantly developing and being created. The maritime heritage of tomorrow is being shaped today and we aim to promote a conscious process of that.

 

An important aspect of this is addressing the maritime environment and the ecological impact of industrial, transport and other maritime activity. Equally important are the communities, economic and social impacts of the maritime sector. Through our work we look at issues of contemporary and emergent culture, activity, innovation, new technology, new industry and sustainable development.

Our History

Clyde Docks Preservation Initiative (CDPI) was launched in 2015 to take forward a campaign for the restoration of Govan's historic A-listed dry docks (Govan Graving Docks) as a maritime heritage park.

 

Over the years, through research, development and networking; we have developed our scope of interest to look at broader maritime and related issues impacting the River/Firth of Clyde region.

 

The vision of restoring the Govan docks continued to evolve through networking and feedback from a diverse range of people and groups interested in the historic site, as well as wider research into maritime heritage. It also became apparent that proposals for the Govan docks needed to be taken forward by a community-focused charitable body and one specifically dedicated to the site. For this purpose we set up the Govan Docks Regeneration Trust (SCIO) - to which we have divested most of our work relating to the graving docks. Though we continue to support Govan Docks Regeneration Trust with resources, expertise and project input.

 

Research, development and outreach has paved the way to look at wider opportunities throughout the Clyde region and further afield to promote maritime heritage and active, sustainable use of the maritime environment.