The Adriatic Institute was established on 28 May 1945 in Sushak (Rijeka). Its task was to research problems of the Adriatic littoral from its geographic, historical and ethnographic aspects, and from the point of view of transportation and urban development. Its initial activities were focused on documentation of the Yugoslav stand regarding the conclusion of the Treaty of Peace with Italy and especially problems of delimitation at the 1947 Paris Peace Conference.

By the end of 1948 the Adriatic Institute had been reorganized and the scope of its activities considerably enlarged. It was incorporated in the Yugoslav (now: Croatian) Academy of Sciences and Arts as one of its institutions. The Institute was charged with new functions in research into problems of the Yugoslav littoral with special attention to questions of national importance concerning the Adriatic Sea. These centered round the problems related to the maritime law and economics and fishing law and economics.

Since 1974 the Institute was renamed: The Institute of Maritime Law, History and Economics. Gradually, with the growth and expansion of other institutions of the Academy, the activities of the Institute have been directed exclusively to the problems of maritime law, international law of the sea and transport law.

In the past five decads a large number of experts have made important contributions to the success and prestige of the Institute. Some are now retired and some are still active in universities in Croatia and abroad. The Institute always had and still has a number of distinguished associates. Some of them were directors of the Institute.

Since 1992 the Adriatic Institute has a new address. It was relocated from Opaticka 18 to the center of the down town: Frane Petrica 4 (the first floor).

Copyright © Jadranski zavod HAZU. (2007.- ) Editing and updating: Marula Vujasinović marula@hazu.hr