News

22.11.17

Belgium is to host NACGF in 2018

In October 2017 the Coast Guard secretary, together with a representative of our coast guard partner Defence took part in the summit meeting of the North Atlantic Coast Guard Forum (NACGF). The NACGF is a non-binding, voluntary forum founded in 2007. It counts 20 member states from the North - Atlantic region, including Belgium. Its main purpose is to promote and facilitate cooperation and to exchange information on best practices and experiences. The Coast Guard secretariat is the national point of contact for the NACGF. Chairmanship rotates per year among the participating countries and an annual theme is decided upon. There are seven working groups covering different themes (fishery, migration, SAR,...). Every year, in spring, there is an expert meeting followed by a plenary meeting in autumn, which all heads of delegations attend.

The summit meeting this year took place in Dublin, Ireland where Belgium offially accepted the chairmanship for next year. The expert meetings will be held in March 2018 and the summit meeting in October 2018, both in the seaside town of Ostend.
25.10.17

Export cable Rentel brought ashore

October 1st 2017, the Rentel offshore wind concession brought its export cable ashore in Zeebruges. This cable will transport the energy induced on the Rentel windfarm to shore. With the landfall of this export cable, Rentel will be the first windfarm connected to the new high voltage station “Stevin”, in Zeebruges.

The cable, with a length of 40 kilometers, was placed within a dredged trench on the seabed by a cable laying vessel. A cable laying barge took over in the shallow waters 6 kilometer before the coast and brought the cable ashore. The installation of the last 450 meters of cable on the beach was done by means of mobile cranes. Dredgers filled the trench, thus burying the cable in the seabed.

The Rentel project is located approximately 40 km from Ostend, and is the fifth offshore windproject in the Belgian North Sea. It will comprise 42 Siemens turbines and will deliver renewable energy to 300.000 households. The windfarm should be operational by mid-2018. The coast guard partners monitor the developments in the working group windfarms.
23.10.17

Vacancies VLIZ - projectmanager and science officer

Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) is looking for a project manager (m/f, 100% employment, permanent contract) and a science officer (m/f, 100% employment, permanent contract) for the Data Centre division.
Send in your cover letter and CV no later than 3 November 2017.

More information: www.vliz.be
20.10.17

European Coast Guard Functions Forum - 28 and 29 September 2017

The Belgian Coast Guard secretariat participated to the ninth plenary session of the European Coast Guard Function Forum (ECGFF). This session took place on 28-29 September 2017 at the European Maritime Security Agency (EMSA) headquarters in Lisbon, Portugal.

Supported by the European Commission, this Forum, which dates back to 2009, brings together national coastguard authorities from EU member states and associated Schengen countries who jointly work on issues such as multi-agency multinational operations and capacity building among coast guard academies. The Commission envisages closer coordination with the ECGFF and its gradual integration into the EU Agencies' framework, thereby opening the way to incorporating crucial expert advice when providing support to national coast guard authorities in their daily work.

At the end of the meeting the ECGFF chairmaship was handed over from Portugal to Germany.
20.10.17

Science Day November 26th 2017

You are interested in marine research and you have always wanted to take a peek on a research vessel? Grab your chance on Sunday November 26th from 10 am to 5pm. On this 'Science Day' you can take a look on board the research vessel Simon Stevin, thanks to our coast guard partner Vloot (Fleet) and to the Flemish Institute for the Sea (VLIZ).
The Vloot crew will tell you all about the mechanics of the vessel and the scientists of the VLIZ will inform you about the many changes that are taking place in our oceans. You can also pay a visit to the Marine Station Ostend.

Simon Stevin
near Hendrik Baelskaai 1
8400 Oostende

Marien Station Oostende
Slipwaykaai 2
8400 Oostende

10am tot 5pm - free admission

www.dagvandewetenschap.be
www.welkombijvloot.be
www.vliz.be
02.10.17

German submarine from WWI discovered

An almost intact German submarine dating from WWI was discovered in Belgian waters. Earlier this year underwater scans had identified an object which bore the hallmarks of a submarine. After further investigation this was confirmed, it is a UB-II type submarine. The wreck lies at a depth of 30 meters and it is suspected that the bodies of the 23-strong crew are still on board. Governor Carl Decaluwé, the official receiver of archeologic findings in Belgian waters, has asked secretary of state for the North Sea Philippe De Backer to protect this unique finding. As long as the investigation is ongoing, the location of the wreck will not be revealed. To enable further and precise identification, the number on the propeller will be searched for. Eleven sunken U-boats have been found so far in Belgian waters, but none has been preserved as good as this latest one.

More on underwater heritage: vondsteninzee.be and reporting findings at sea
12.09.17

Marine Forecasts

Do you want to know exactly what you will be up against at sea?
Our coast guard partner Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS)/ Operational Directorate Natural Environment has the perfect solution: www.marineforecasts.be
Twice a day, 5-day forecasts are issued of the marine conditions in the North Sea and in the Belgian Coastal Waters. You can consult wind speed and wave height, but also sea salinity, wave peak period, sea surface elevation and many more.
It is the intention to further develop functionalities according to the wishes and needs of the users. Your suggestions are greatly appreciated and can be sent to webmaster@odnature.be

A version for mobile devices is available at http://m.mumm.ac.be/
31.08.17

Job Information Day - Navy

Interested in a job with the navy?
September 6th (and every other first Wednesday of the month at 2pm) you can get to know more about a certain vacancy or about life and work with the navy in general in the Specialised Information Centre in Zeebrugge naval base.

More information on the website of our coast guard partner ministry of Defence: mil.be
30.08.17

I would like to go diving on wrecks. Do I have to report this?

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.
28.08.17

Meeting with secretary of state for the North Sea and the governor of West-Flanders

The secretaries Coast Guard had a meeting with Secretary of State for the North Sea Philippe De Backer, the governor of West-Flanders province and their advisors on August 25th 2017. True to tradition, a number of current topics were discussed, such as watersports at sea, the coast guard centre, watersports at sea, drones, Marine Spatial Planning, ...