Last year, a similar MMO was already conducted over four months in the North Sea, with Belgium and France as participating member states. This year, drones and underwater robots will once again be deployed to support Coast Guard duties, such as locating people in distress or small vessels, detecting pollution, monitoring emissions, enforcing fisheries regulations, and mapping wrecks, measuring poles, and seabed structures. Additionally, the Coast Guard will have the opportunity to work with the Ocean Protector, one of EFCA’s three vessels, and to conduct tests with an emergency sea tug. There has long been a demand in Belgium for such a type of tugboat.
During this MMO operation, the MUMM (Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models), in close cooperation with Defence, will deploy medium-sized drones (RPAS) over Belgian waters to provide additional environmental monitoring in the North Sea. These drones will help detect marine pollution caused by ships, verify suspicious pollution detections reported via the European CleanSeaNet service (a satellite detection service), and monitor navigation violations.
Nathalie Balcaen, Director-General of the Maritime Services and Coast Agency (MDK), is pleased that a new MMO is being launched. “Last year, we learned a great deal during the MMO and through cross-border cooperation with France. Geopolitically, these are turbulent times with many threats. Together, we can achieve much more.”
The cooperation officially begins on 28 May and ends on 19 September 2025. The MMO has been launched on Wednesday 28 May at the ABC Tower in Zeebrugge, in the presence of all partners.
Following the opening event, guests were given a unique behind-the-scenes look. At the Naval Base, they were given guided tours aboard various vessels, including the Sirius (MDK agency), Primula (Defence), and Abeille Normandie (Boluda). The roles of the ships and the cooperation between the partners were explained in detail. To conclude, guests witnessed an impressive SAR (Search and Rescue) exercise involving the Orinoco and the NH90 helicopter, showcasing live coordination between the involved services in action.
