This policy aims to address how we manage potential copyright infringement claims from a rights holder. 

National Historic Ships UK (NHS-UK) has made reasonable efforts to ensure that the correct permissions have been obtained from rights holders. However, in some cases we may not have been able to ascertain or trace the rights holder and this would therefore be when an object or image is an Orphan Work. 

Please contact us if you believe that you are or know of the rights holder/owner and you believe our material may have infringed your intellectual property rights. 

Please submit the details below to info@nationalhistoricships.org.uk

Applications made under the policy must contain the following information:

  • Your full name and address, contact number and e-mail address. Please indicate if you are contacting us on behalf of someone else. 
  • A description of the content including, where appropriate, vessel ID number to which the image relates
  • Website address/ URL 
  • Grounds for the infringement
    • Reason for the infringement i.e. copyright or intellectual property, related rights such as moral rights 
    • A statement or proof that you or the person you represent is the legal owner/rights holder 
    • A statement that the information supplied is accurate and is the reason you believe an infringement has happened. 

Once a valid complaint is received, based on UK law and the CDPA 1988 Intellectual Property Office - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk), NHS-UK will:

  • Acknowledge receipt by e-mail within 14 days
  • Assess the validity and plausibility of the complaint consulting the relevant professional parties 
  • Endeavor to resolve the issue in a timely and amicable way to the satisfaction of all parties 
  • Take down the content from our website whilst an investigation is carried out. 

Potential Outcomes

  • Permanent removal of the content if the claim is found to be valid
  • If the claim is found to be invalid or unproven, we will reinstate the content 
  • If the claim has been found to be partially valid, we will agree that the content will be adjusted in agreement with both parties 

National Historic Ships UK is a cultural organisation tasked with maintaining the National Register of Historic Vessels and associated databases for the purposes of education, research and knowledge sharing.  Our existence is partly dependant on Government funding and partly on public support.  As per the above policy, we make every effort to ensure that images are not added to our database without the copyright holder's written permission.  Upon proof of any infringement, we will immediately remove the image from our website or social media accounts.  We will not make payment for any claimed infringements other than by court order.

National Historic Ships UK

October 2024