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If you go diving at sea, you are obliged to report this to the Maritime Rescue and Coördination Centre (MRCC) Ostend. The correct procedure can be found in Notices to Mariners nr 1.

If you go diving on wrecks, you should take into account that in Belgian waters 8 ship wrecks are recognized as cultural heritage. 
They are: 
- HMS Wakeful
- West-Hinder
- Wooden shipwreck Ostend
- Wrecksite Buiten Ratel Sandbank
- t Vliegend Hart
- U-11
- SS Kilmore
- HMS Briljant

If you decide to go diving on one of these wrecks, you are not only required to report this to MRCC Ostend, but also to the Federal Public Service (FPS) Mobility and Transport. This should be done at least four hours beforehand. You can find an online form on the website of FPS Mobility and Transport. 

Crazy about helicopters, fascinated by the air force and a keen runner?
Keep your diary clear for the open door of our coast guard partner ministry of Defense at Coxyde Base. 
you are welcome on Wednesday 23rd of August from 1pm to 5pm. 

At 7pm you can take part in the Runway Run. By doing so, you do not only support several charities but you stand a chance to win a flight in a helicopter. 

All information: Basis Koksijde and www.lopenvoorhetgoededoel.be

Due to a EU directive, from now on the Maritime and River Police will closely monitor the pleasure craft to and from third countries (=non-Schengen destinations). 

This means that the crew of yachts departing from a Belgian harbour to a non-Schengen country (Great-Britain) are to report to the border crossing point of the Maritime and River Police in the port of origin. Pleasure craft coming from a non-Schengen country, have to call at a port that is a designated border crossing point and report to the Maritime and River Police based in said port.

In both instances, you need to hand over a document containing all technical characteristics of the vessel and the names of all persons aboard. A template for this document can be found in the Notices to Mariners nr 1(Annex 2) and can also be found on the nautibel website. 

All marinas along the Belgian coast are recognized Schengen border crossing points.

More information in Notices to Mariners nr 1 and www.nautibel.be 

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.