News

15.09.25

160 Years of the Italian Coast Guard Celebrated with International Conferences

To mark its 160th anniversary, the Italian Coast Guard is hosting three prestigious events in Rome this year: the plenary conference of the ECGFF (European Coast Guard Functions Forum), the MCGFF (Mediterranean Coast Guard Forum), and the GCGS (Global Coast Guard Summit).

The chairs of the Coast Guard Policy Body, Piet Pieters and Nathalie Balcaen, represent the 17 coast guard partners and are supported by secretary Eefje Deweer.
15.07.25

Coast Guard Obtains Permit for Drone Flights Over the North Sea

The Coast Guard has received a "permit to fly" allowing drone operations over the North Sea. As a result, drone flights will take place during the summer to support rescue operations or detect pollution, for example. This marks the first time such drone operations are being conducted over the Belgian part of the North Sea.
01.07.25

Seacoast 2025 Exercise

Early July traditionally marks the time when the Governor of the Province of West Flanders, together with the relevant land, sea, and air partners, tests the rescue coordination arrangements along the Belgian coast. This year, the coastal municipality of Nieuwpoort was the designated location. Under the codename ‘Seacoast25’, two scenarios were launched, requiring participants to respond as they would in a real incident, following the principles outlined in the rescue coordination agreement.
29.05.25

Kick-off in Zeebrugge for European Coast Guard Operation

From the end of May until September, the Flemish and federal Coast Guard services will collaborate with the French Coast Guard in a Multipurpose Maritime Operation (MMO). The MMO is a large-scale maritime operation in the North Sea, coordinated by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), with support from the European Union. Member states work closely together on Coast Guard tasks such as maritime safety, environmental protection, and fisheries control. The operation has been launched near the naval base in Zeebrugge.
21.05.25

Information Session on the “Paardenmarkt” Munitions Dump Site

Zedelgem, 19 May 2025 – As part of the Special Emergency and Intervention Plan (BNIP), an information session was held concerning the “Paardenmarkt” munitions dump site, a pentagon-shaped zone located off the coast of Knokke-Heist. The meeting brought together experts, policymakers, and emergency services to discuss the risks, monitoring efforts, and potential measures related to this historic site.
04.04.25

ECGFF – EMSA Workshop ‘Maritime traffic monitoring and surveillance services for multipurpose activities

The workshop on maritime traffic monitoring and surveillance services organized by EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency), the European Coast Guard Functions Forum (ECGFF) Chairman Italy, and the European Commission brought the following Belgian delegation to Lisbon: Jeroen Van Overloop and Stefanie Monsaert from DG Shipping, Tina Mertens and Yves Maekelberg from Maritime Services and Coast (MDK), Geert Devogel from the Fisheries Department (DZV), and Eefje Deweer from the Coast Guard Secretariat.
04.03.25

Evolution of the Coast Guard: AI and Unmanned Systems in SAR Operations

Wim De Schutter (DG Environnement - Service Environnement Marin), Herbert Van Santen (Police Maritime), Eefje Deweer (la Garde-Côtière) et Lara Verriest (DG Navigation) ont assisté à l'atelier ECGFF (Forum des Fonctions de Garde-Côtière Européenne) Frontex à Cagliari, intitulé "Évolution de la Garde-Côtière : IA et Systèmes Non Habités Améliorant les Opérations de SAR."
25.02.25

Visit to the Coast Guard and MRCC in Ostend

On 24 February, Ms Laura Szabo, Chair of the Federal Public Service (FPS) Home Affairs, and Ms Leen Depuydt, Acting Director-General of the National Crisis Center, paid a visit to the Coast Guard.
04.02.25

Advanced technologies and AI for the sea: innovations in fisheries control activity

During the ECGFF - EFCA Workshop under the Italian presidency of the ECGFF for 2024/2025, titled "Advanced technologies and AI for the sea: innovations in fisheries control activity," in Palermo, Geert Devogel (Fisheries Department), Yves Maekelberg (MDK), and Eefje Deweer (Coast Guard Secretariat) were present for the Belgian Coast Guard.
31.07.24

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Policy Division | Departement of Mobility and public works