1978
North Sea history seminar in Stavanger hosted by
the Stavanger Maritime Museum

1979
North Sea history seminar in Denmark initiated by
the Stavanger Maritime Museum

1985
Papers from the first two seminars published in
The North Sea. A Highway of Economic and
Cultural Exchange. Character - History.

1987
North Sea history seminar in Stavanger
North Sea Society of Stavanger established

1988
Stavanger-days in Antwerp:
Conferences, concerts, exhibitions, visit by the Stavanger Maritime Museum’s sloop ANNA AF SAND

1989
1st North Sea History Conference in Stavanger: “Social History of Maritime Labour”.
The Association of North Sea Societies established

1989
“The Bayeux Tapestry” - French exhibition,
lectures and concert in Stavanger

1989
“Belgica. Le premier hivernage dans l’Antarctique”. Exhibition made by the Musee National de Marine
in Antwerp travelling in Norway

1990
Support for the exhibition “Iddis. Sardine Tin
Labels from Norway” made by the Norwegian
Canning Industry Museum and travelling to
Aberdeen, Hull, London and Esbjerg

1991
2nd North Sea History Conference in Esbjerg:
“History of Ports and Harbours
- Adaptions to Change”

1992
Papers from the North Sea History Conferences
in Stavanger and Esbjerg published

1993
3rd North Sea History Conference in Aberdeen:
“The North Sea. Seaway and Resource”

1995
4th North Sea History Conference in Stavanger: “Maritime Industries and Public Intervention”

1996
Papers from the North Sea History Conference
in Aberdeen published

1997
5th North Sea History Conference in Rotterdam: “Finansing the Maritime Sector”

1997
“Harvest from a Common Sea. The North Sea
Fishery 1870-1940". Travelling exhibition
+ catalogue made by the maritime museums
of Esbjerg, Hull, Stavanger and Vlaardingen

1998
Association of North Sea Societies reorganized
to be Association of North Sea Cities

1999
6th North Sea History Conference in Hull: “Concentration and Dependency: The Role of Maritime Activities in North Sea Communities”

2000
“Fishing for Protein” and “Sailor’s Dress”. Two travelling exhibitions from the maritime museum
in Esbjerg touring member cities in the North Sea countries 2000-02

2002
7th North Sea History Conference in Dunkerque: ”Bridging the North Sea: Conflict and Co-operation”. 

Papers from the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th North Sea History Conferences published

 2003
“North Sea Lights”. Travelling exhibition + catalogue made by the maritime museums of the ANSC network started in Dunkerque and was touring the North Sea until 2008.

2004
ANSC homepage established

2005
8^th North Sea History Conference in Bremerhaven. “Crisis and Transition – Responses to Economic Turmoil in the North Sea Region 1790-1940”.

Papers from the 7^th North Sea History Conference published

2008
9th North Sea History Conference in Stavanger – ”Maritime People”

 Papers from the 8th North Sea History
Conference published

2009
Organising Committee for the 10th North Sea History Conference in Gothenburg, 1-3 September 2011, is established. The Organising Committee consists of David J. Starkey (University of Hull), Lars Scholl (Deutsches Schiffahrtsmuseum, Bremerhaven), Frits Loomeijer (Maritiem Museum, Rotterdam), Morten Hahn-Pedersen (Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet, Esbjerg), Anne Tove Austbø (Stavanger Sjøfartsmuseum), Anna Rosengren & Britta Söderqvist (Sjöfartsmuseet Akvariet i Göteborg).

The ”North Sea Passenger Lines”- project is launched in Hull 16 May as a publication as well as an exhibition. The exhibition is expected to be touring the North Sea until 2012