November 30, 2018 - The Maritime Museum of Montenegro in Kotor and the Boka Navy Kotor promulgated the capital work-History of Montenegrin Maritime in the Context of Adriatic, Mediterranean and World Maritime Affairs by Dr. Antun Sbutega.
The promotion of the book, which was organized at the Palace Grgurina Maritime Museum of Montenegro in Kotor, was addressed by the director of this institution, Andro Radolović, one of the most important scientists of today dealing with the history of Boka Bay – archaeologist M.Sc. Jovan J. Martinović, and the author, Doctor of Economics and Admiral of the Boka Navy Antun Sbutega. The lecture, by Ms. Jovica Martinović, was submitted by Slavko Dabinovic, a retired librarian.
"Composed chapters in the manuscript are assembled in a very well-organized chronological order, from the earliest to the recent phases of maritime development. Within each chapter, the author paid his attention to focusing on a wide area in the Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea, and across the Montenegrin coast to Boka Bay as one of the priorities in studying the total matter," emphasized Mr. Martinović.
"The show of 2.5 million years of maritime development, with the abundance of data and well-used literature, was a demanding task whose successful solution was only capable of being personally connected to the sea through a long family and local tradition, but at the same time a person armed with erudite and encyclopedic knowledge in more scientific areas... This book represents the most significant scientific contribution to the study and popularization of our rich maritime past," wrote Mr. Jovan Martinović on the promotion of the book, which was held on Thursday in the Maritime Museum of Montenegro in Kotor.
Numerous visitors and acquaintances were welcomed on behalf of host Andro Radulović, director of the Montenegrin Maritime Museum of Montenegro, who pointed out that the publication of the book History of Montenegrin Maritime once again confirmed the fact that Boka Bay and Montenegro are an inexhaustible source for history and culture of the people who created it.
"I hope the book will serve as a great motive and a sign for more intensive and more dedicated engagement with the aim of studying our past," Radulovic said.
"I do not know how much I wrote; it was not short, I will tell you that the bibliography has 750 units and about 1140 footnotes... This book has been the fruit of my entire life since I entered the world of seafaring in the earliest childhood, surrounded by seafarers, historians, technical works and objects that testify to maritime history," said Admiral Sbutega visibly satisfied. "This book is not an encyclopedia, nor I have the pretense to elaborate all the aspects through the time fully, it is only the first comprehensive review that should inspire other authors to write on this subject," the author said.
"The history of our navy is very long and rich in events and interesting personalities, which was very difficult and demanding to critical in a book, so I had to miss much. The main, intimate motive to write this book is the sense of debt towards my family members who have been involved in maritime affairs for more than 400 years. I dedicated this book to them. But not only to them but also to all seafarers in the history of this area and to numerous naval historians of the previous generations, which I owe my life orientation, the culture of knowledge and identity. It is written from the feeling of debt to the present and future generations, as an attempt to bring them at least part of that knowledge and values. It was a complicated and long job, but also an exciting intellectual adventure," said Sbutega.
Sbutega emphasized that the coast is still today the most developed part of Montenegro, where the most important foreign investments are being developed. "And now Montenegro is breathing through its shore, although it is not always aware of it. There are at least 6,000 active seamen in Montenegro, but is an impressive number compared to the number of inhabitants. More than 95 percent of our seamen are sailing with foreign companies, and their revenue is estimated at over 200 million euros. It is the highest income Montenegro achieves. In Montenegro, tourism revenues of about one billion euros are expected, but this is total revenue, of which pure profit is between 100 and 150 million. The 200 million of the seafarers' income has no expense. In spite of schools and more seafaring training centers, Montenegro has no clear and long-term maritime policy."
"The most important goal of this book is not to increase awareness of the significance of maritime history, but to encourage state and social institutions and seafarers to create a development policy without which country cannot effectively develop maritime affairs and valorize the coastal state's position. Marine affairs are, once again, Montenegrin most important business branches," said Boka Navy Admiral Antun Sbutega.
The release of this capital work was realized thanks to the support of the Ministry of Culture of Montenegro, and the publishers are the Maritime Museum of Montenegro Kotor and the Boka Navy Kotor.
