Maritime exploration is the exploration of new places by sea using ships. It became especially important between the 1400s and 1600s. Explorers used oceans to travel between continents.

Sailors used tools such as compasses and maps to guide their journeys. Ships traveled across the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Countries such as Portugal and Spain sent expeditions to find new routes and lands.

These voyages connected distant regions and opened sea routes between continents. Maritime exploration is studied through maps, records, and ship remains.