News

25.07.17

TTX exercises to save drowning persons 2017

On 16, 23 and 24 March 2017, three table top exercises were held to test the procedure for saving drowning persons, all under the supervision of West-Flanders governor Carl Decaluwé. This year the coastal municipalities of Westende, Nieuwpoort and Zeebrugge took part.

These are exercises without a real deployment of any emergency services/means. A crisis situation is simulated based on a realistic scenario and the participants work out on paper how they would operate on site and in real time. Numerous (coast guard) partners participated as well as the coast guard secretaries who acted as observors.
20.07.17

New shipping routes North Sea

New shipping routes for the Belgian and the Dutch (southern) part of the North Sea came into effect June 1st 2017.

The North Sea is one of the busiest and most intensively used seas in the world. For certain areas, no fixed routes existed along the Dutch and Belgian coast.Therefore the Netherlands and Belgium jointly adapted their shipping routes.
The new routes will help ships to navigate efficiently, will improve safety at sea and will reduce the risk of
environmental pollution. The shipping routes will be advertised internationally and will be incorporated in the official nautical charts.

More information on the website of our coast guard partner Federal Public Service (FPS) Mobility and Transport.
23.03.17

Clean beach cup - 26 March 2017

On our planet, no beach remains where you won't find any plastic. If pollution continues at this level, by 2050 there will be more plastic found in oceans than there will be fish swimming. High time to do something about it! On the first sunday of spring, you can do your bit and help other volunteers clean up the beach all along our coast. March 26th, from 2pm tot 6pm, the Eneco beach cup takes places in cooperation with the surf clubs.

Information and registration on enecobeachcup.be
22.03.17

Marina Information Network

March 15th, 2017 the Marina Information Network was officially launched with the signing of a charter.

Our coast guard partner the Maritime and River Police initiated this project and signed the charter together with the governor of West-Flanders, the local police and fifteen yacht clubs from Ostend, Nieuwpoort, Blankenberge and Zeebruges. The information network ensures more efficient communication by means of a central hotline. This means that there will be a swifter response in case of theft or smuggling and thus contributes to safer marinas. This network is a first for the province of West-Flanders and should be fully operational in a few months time.
07.03.17

Remembrance ceremony Herald of Free Enterprise

March 6th, 2017 marks the 30th anniversary of the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, in which 193 people died when a ferry capsized off the coast of Zeebrugge on its way to Dover in the UK. The disaster claimed 193 lives.

A special remembrance ceremony was held at Zeebrugge, including three ships sailing out to the site of the accident to pay tribute to the victims.

Several of our coast guard partners offered their assistance to organize this remembrance. Most of them also attended an academic session on safety at sea that took place after the ceremony in the naval base at Zeebrugge. The coast guard secretaries were also present.

More pictures.
27.02.17

Consultation body Coast Guard February 24th 2017

Friday February 24th 2017, the first meeting of the Coast Guard consultation body for this year took place under the chairmanship of West-Flanders governor Carl Decaluwé. Items on the agenda included the Emergency and Intervention Plan Mass Evacuation and environmental issues. Feedback from the working group windmill parks was discussed and the necessary attention was given to progress made with relation to the coast guard centre project.

After the meeting, a working visit of international oil combating organizations International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF) and Oil spill Response Limited took place. The coast guard partners explained the structure of the General Emergency and Response Plan for the North Sea.
02.02.17

First Observation of a Dwarf Sperm Whale in Belgium

January 22nd 2017 a very rare marine mammal, a dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) was spotted near Ostend.

That Sunday, during a trip at sea in the Belgian part of the North Sea for observing marine mammals and seabirds, about 90 porpoises (Belgium's most common cetacean), were observed. One animal raised some doubt as to whether belonging to the same species. After the trip, the photos were thoroughly examined by Belgian and foreign specialists.

Conclusion: it is not a porpoise, but a dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima). The dwarf sperm whale can attain a length of 2.7 m (larger than a harbour porpoise which is usually 1.8 m). It is rare for the dwarf sperm whale to be seen in Europe. The January 22 observation was the first in Belgian waters.

More information on the website of our coast guard partner Operational Directorate (OD) Natural Environment/Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM): www.naturalsciences.be
25.01.17

Research structure wave energy - Public consultation

December 19th 2016, the company Nemos introduced a request for an environmental permit for the construction and exploitation of a temporary research structure for wave energy conversion. The temporary research structure will be placed at a distance of about 500 meters north of the eastern harbour wall in Ostend.

The public consultation for this permit is now open until February 23rd 2017. All information about how to consult the file and/or how to file a remark or objection can be found on the website of our coast guard partner Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM):https://www.naturalsciences.be/en/news/item/6634
16.01.17

New website MUMM 'Activities at sea'

Looking for the latest information on activities at sea or just curious?

Check the new website of our coast guard partner the scientific service Management Unit of the Mathematical Models of the North Sea:http://odnature.naturalsciences.be/mumm/en/

On this website you will find a state of affairs and all official documents regarding offshore wind farms and you will learn everything about the aerial surveillance at sea. You can also find information about other human activities at sea: sand extraction, aquaculture, dumping of dredged material and the Framework directives Water and Marine Strategy.
06.01.17

Siemens to build windfarm Rentel out of Ostend Port

Yesterday, January 5th, Rebo NV and Siemens Wind Power signed a concession agreement for one year for the use of the Rebo terminal at the port of Ostend for turbine pre-assembly for Rentel, the fifth Belgian offshore windfarm. At the Rebo terminal the different elements of the turbines will be assembled. Then they are to be loaded on an installation vessel and installed on monopile foundations in the sea.

The supply and pre-assembly of the 42 turbines will start early this year and take about one year. The Rentel offshore wind power plant is located some 40 kilometers off the Belgian North Sea Coast and will be able to provide clean power for approximately 300,000 households in Belgium.

www.rentel.be

www.portofoostende.be