PORTS BY COUNTRY · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Ports in Belgium
NaviBoss has port guides for 10 ports in Belgium, 7 of them with the pilot boarding place on the chart. Its coast lies in NAVAREA I, buoyage follows IALA region A and ships are inspected under the Paris MOU.
All 10 ports in Belgium
Each name opens its port guide: where the pilot boards, local time and summer time, water density, load line zone, the maximum draft per terminal, reporting before arrival and inspections.
| Port | UN/LOCODE | Pilot | Deepest berth | Warnings area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antwerp | BEANR | Yes | 18.0 m | NAVAREA I |
| Brussels | BEBRU | Yes | — | NAVAREA I |
| Genk | BEGNK | — | — | NAVAREA I |
| Ghent | BEGNE | Yes | 12.5 m | NAVAREA I |
| Liege | BELGG | Yes | 3.4 m | inland |
| Nieuwpoort | BENIE | Yes | — | NAVAREA I |
| Ostend | BEOST | Yes | 7.2 m | NAVAREA I |
| Ruisbroek | BESVG | — | — | NAVAREA I |
| Willebroek | BEWLB | — | 4.0 m | NAVAREA I |
| Zeebrugge | BEZEE | Yes | 15.2 m | NAVAREA I |
Navigational warnings
Belgium's waters are in NAVAREA I. A ship there keeps the in-force warnings of that area, and of any NAVAREA it passes on the way.
Before you call at Belgium
Pre-arrival reporting
All vessels must complete the required Pre-Arrival Notification Form. The Ship Master must send this document at least 72hrs prior to arrival to the agent in the port of destination. All data will then be uploaded into the Safety Sea Net (SSN) system.
Rules in port
In the EU, SOx emissions from ships are regulated by Directive (EU) 2016/802, known as the 'Sulphur Directive'.
Since 1st January 2015, stricter sulphur limits for marine fuel in Emission Control Areas (ECAs) apply (0.1%) as well as in sea areas outside ECAs (3.50%). In addition, a 0.1% maximum sulphur requirement for fuels used by ships at berth and anchorages within port limits was introduced in EU Ports from 1st January 2010. Furthermore, passenger ships operating on regular services to or from any EU port should not use marine fuels if their sulphur content exceeds 1.50% in sea areas outside the ECAs.
From 1st January 2020, ships operating outside of Emission Control Areas should not use marine fuels if their sulphur content exceeds 0.50%.
Search and rescue
The Belgian Coastguard Service, "Coastguard Oostende," is responsible for coordinating search and rescue operations from
MRCC Oostende, which can be contacted, as follows:
1. Telephone: 32-59-701000 / 32-59-701100 32-59-255490 (emergency)
2. Facsimile: 32-59-703605
3. E-mail: [email protected]
MRCC Oostende maintains a continuous listening watch for distress traffic on 2182 kHz, 2187.5 kHz, VHF channel 16, and
VHF channel 70.
Port Control Oostende also maintains a listening watch for message traffic regarding search and rescue on VHF channel 9.
A watch during inclement weather is also kept at:
DePanne (51°06'N 2°35'E)
Middelkerke (51°11'N 2°49'E)
Blankenberge (51°19'N 3°08'E)
Lifeboats and rescue equipment are maintained at Oostende, Nieuwpoort, and Zeebrugge.
ISPS (ship and port security)
ISPS Designated Authority: Federal Port Security Committee.
Position: Chairman
Address: Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport, DG Maritime Transport, Aarlenstraat 104, B-1040, Brussels, Belgium.
Tel: +32 2 233 1279
Fax: +32 2 230 1969
Mob: +32 475 818465
Email: [email protected]
For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org
Information required by the ISPS Code should be sent, as follows:
1. E-mail: [email protected]
2. Facsimile: 32-579-68-83
The following information should be sent 24 hours prior to arrival at a Belgian port:
1. Ship's name.
2. IMO number.
3. Flag.
4. INMARSAT/GSM number.
5. Port facility of destination.
6. ETA.
7. Port ID number.
8. UN Locator number.
9. Assigned port facility number.
10. Availability of ISSC or Interim ISSC (state Yes or No).
11. Date of expiration of ISSC or Interim ISSC (in format of YYYY/MM/DD).
12. Issuing authority of ISSC or Interim ISSC.
13. Security level ship is currently operating at (Level 1,Level 2, or Level 3 with reason(s), if known).
14. Last ten ports of call and Security Level at which the ship operated.
15. For the last ten ports of call have any special security measures been taken during ship/port interface (state Yes or No)?
16. Within the period of the last ten calls at port facilities, has the ship conducted ship-to-ship activities and were the appropriate
ship security procedures maintained (state Yes or No)?
17. Is there any other security-related information (state Yes or No)?
If the transit time from the previous port is less than 24 hours, the required information should be sent when leaving the previous port.
Dialling code +32. · The unit of currency is the Euro(EUR), which is made up of 100 cents.
These country notes come from public port references and some may be several years old. Check with your agent.
Questions about ports in Belgium
How many ports in Belgium have a NaviBoss port guide?
10 ports, 7 of them with at least one pilot boarding place on the chart. Each guide gives the pilot station, local time, water density, load line zone, maximum draft per terminal, pre-arrival reporting and inspections.
Which NAVAREA is Belgium in?
Belgium's ports lie in NAVAREA I (1). Navigational warnings for those waters are broadcast by that area's coordinator.
Which IALA buoyage region does Belgium use?
IALA region A: red to port when entering harbour.
Who carries out Port State Control in Belgium?
Ships calling at Belgium are inspected under the Paris MOU.
What time zone are Belgium's ports in?
UTC+1, with a summer-time change during the year.
Which port in Belgium takes the deepest draft?
Of the ports with a figure, Antwerp: its deepest listed berth takes 18.0 m. Check the terminal and the latest port notices before you plan to it.
More guides
- Ports by countryevery country with port guides
- Sea distances between portsreal distances on shipping lanes
- NAVAREA warningsthe 21 areas and who broadcasts them
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NaviBoss guides are written and checked by maritime industry experts, masters and deck officers. Each one is built from the same data the planner uses, dated, and rebuilt when that data changes. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.
A planning aid, not for navigation. Check official charts and publications, the latest notices and your company's instructions before you rely on any figure here.