SHIPPAN · A transnational history of health control and hygiene onboard of liners (1894-1946)

A transnational history of health control and hygiene onboard of liners (1894-1946)

SHIPPAN seeks to demonstrate how health management on shipping lines and liners—from the second half of the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century—was central to understanding and regulating sanitary issues globally. The objective is to develop a transnational history of health at sea in the Late Modern period. This contribution unfolds accross nested scales, from state-level interventions to the policies of the companies, down to the lived experiences of individuals on board. The MSCA Fellow explores new dimensions of maritime health, shedding light on the challenges faced by shipping companies during sanitary crises. Moving away from a solely land-based perspective, SHIPPAN shifts the analytical focus offshore. This innovative approach challenges the assumption of states full control over health policies, highlighting instead how companies and seafarers responded to health threats. Though SHIPPAN moves beyond a port-centered approach, it anchors itself in key departure points—Hong Kong, Marseille, and San Francisco—to enable a global perspective. This includes of a wide range of lines and companies. Local archives foreground national and regional actors, while legislative, legal, and diplomatic sources—often rich in health-related material—broaden the scope. The aim is not to juxtapose case studies, but rather to examine how maritime powers and companies interacted and adapted via the only physical and symbolic link united them: the ocean. 1. Diseases as a Transimperial Issue This hypothesis highlights the role of imperial powers in imposing health regulations aboard ships. Epidemic anxiety functioned as a tool of imperial governance—formal or informal— exemplified by the training of colonial physicians. Imperial systems contributed to some general health improvements, but rivalry between metropoles often undermined global coordination. 2. Sanitary Control Onboard as a Shipping Issue This hypothesis compares the roles of shipping companies in implementing health measures. SHIPPAN posits that companies, driven by the imperative of profitability, were often more innovative and adaptable, while port authorities tended to act in accordance with national interests. The underlying thesis is that the effectiveness of health management at sea was, above all, a function of private sector initiative. 3. Health Management Onboard as a Personal Issue This hypothesis considers how seafarers and passengers responded to sanitary crises. By comparing personal narratives, professional training, and work practices across different lines, it is possible to trace how best practices in health were disseminated and appropriated. This supports the argument that onboard sanitary measures contributed to the global diffusion of medical habits and practices. SHIPPAN forges connections between empires, major international ports, and maritime communities. The ocean, too often perceived as an empty space, is reimagined as a vital conduit. The ship, a confined social unit, forces cohabitation and interaction despite rigid hierarchies and spatial segregation. Within this space—before individuals return to their respective social positions on land—knowledge and practices are transferred. The ocean emerges as a laboratory of modernity. The recurring transoceanic experiences form a temporal and spatial frame SHIPPAN seeks to explore.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union