On 19 March 2025, one of the two original anchors of the first, legendary Belgica was given a visible and honorable place on Ostend’s East Bank. The anchor is a silent witness to the famed Belgica expedition of 1897–1899. After a turbulent history, the ship was sunk in a Norwegian fjord during the Second World War. Half a century later, local divers recovered the anchor and subsequently transferred it to the Belgica Society, which donated it to the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) in 2024.
Between 1897 and 1899, the vessel Belgica undertook the first Belgian exploration of Antarctica, led by Adrien de Gerlache – an expedition that was unquestionably groundbreaking. Never before had scientists overwintered in the Antarctic, in truly life-threatening conditions. The crew, including the young Roald Amundsen, persevered by collecting data on geography, fauna, flora and meteorology – work that would later prove to be a solid foundation for scientific research. Over the years, a number of books and articles have been published about the Belgica expedition’s achievements. Less well known is what happened to the wooden sailing ship after her return from Antarctica.
After returning, the ship continued to operate under the same name, first as a whaler and later as an Arctic research vessel. In 1916, Belgica was sold, renamed Isfjord, and used to transport coal between Spitsbergen and Norway. In 1918, it was sold again and converted into a floating fish-processing and cod-liver oil production platform, before – by the late 1930s, no longer seaworthy – being used as a coal storage facility. Then came the Second World War. Loaded with British ammunition, the ship fell victim to a German air attack during the May 1940 campaign and sank. It was not until 1990 that divers from a local club rediscovered the Belgica wreck in a bay near Harstad in Norway, at a depth of 22 meters and some two hundred meters offshore.
The wreck is protected and, given its condition, can no longer be salvaged. Some artefacts, however, were given a new purpose. The ship’s owner, Kristian Holst, donated one of the two original anchors to the Arctic Museum in Tromsø, where it can still be seen today at the entrance to the building. The second anchor was donated to the Belgica Society following a visit to Norway by the association. The society’s aim was to contribute to knowledge of Belgian maritime heritage. Its founding members included shipowner and fisheries entrepreneur Willy Versluys, Jean-Louis de Gerlache (grandson of Adrien de Gerlache), maritime archaeologists Marnix Pieters, Tom Lenaerts and Tomas Termote, and VLIZ General Director Jan Mees. When the association ended its activities, the second anchor was donated to VLIZ by shipowner Willy Versluys, the driving force behind the Belgica Society and a former member of the VLIZ Board.
Today, this anchor more than ever symbolizes the rich history of Belgica, her role in polar science, and the courage and determination of her crew. For that reason, VLIZ has now given the anchor a prominent and visible place of honor: a stone’s throw from the sea, at the top of the slipway of a historic shipyard, and in close proximity to the Marine Station Ostend, where VLIZ is building the future of international marine research.
The official handover of the Belgica anchor took place in the presence of Governor Carl Decaluwé, Chair of VLIZ and also the official ‘receiver of wrecks’, shipowner Willy Versluys, and Jan Mees, General Director of VLIZ.