News

Thursday 28th June an international anti-pollution exercise was held on the North Sea, about 25 kilometres north of the coastal city of Ostend.
Six vessels especially equipped for combatting marine pollution took part. Machinery and equipment were tested as well as coordinated manoeuvring. A total of eight vessels took part in the exercise: Zeehond and Zeetijger of Vloot (Fleet), two vessels chartered by the European Agency for Maritime Safety (EMSA): DC Vlaanderen 3000 and Interballast III, two Dutch vessels: Arca and Frans Naerebout, a Belgian navy vessel and the Provider (Ship Support) as well as an airplane and a helicopter. Despite the unfavourable weather conditions, operations unrolled smoothly.
 

Please sea Dutch translation.

On November 18th 2011 the reproduction of the "Fisheries chart for Blankenberghe" was officially inaugurated at Blankenberge town hall.

The original, a rare maritime chart of Flemish sandbanks, can be found in Sint-Pieters college in Blankenberge. The chart, painted on canvas, dates back to 1890 and was used to train fishers-to-be in the Free School for Fishermen. Teacher Joseph Ponjaert designed it based on English sea charts and on the knowledge of local fishermen. The chart boasts around 90 sand banks and fairways, some of them carrying strange names indeed (Blister Fairway, Evil Ground, ...). The majority of these names cannot be found on older or more recent charts.

Masterplan Coastal Safety about to start in Koksijde and Wenduine Soon the first works within the scope of the masterplan Coastal Safety will commence in both Koksijde and Wenduine. Together with the municipalities, the Coastal Division organizes informative meetings for the public. There you can get all information and answers to you queries about the masterplan coastal safety.