News

The VLIZ annual report provides an overview of the highlights of 2023 and looks back on the functioning of the institute at the service of marine science research, policymakers, industry, educators, and the general public. Through performance indicators (KPIs), impact trajectories, lots of figures, and various listings, VLIZ tries to be as transparent as possible about its overall operation.

For her PhD research, Nelle Meyers (VLIZ, ILVO, UGent) developed a new cost- and time-effective method for the detection and identification of microplastics in the marine environment. The semi-automatic method combines staining of microplastic particles with the fluorescent dye nile red and machine-learning algorithms. The method tested reliably for most types of polymers, even when the...

On June 13, the third edition of the Digital Ocean Forum (DOF2024) high-level event, held under the auspices of the Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU, took place in Brussels. It was co-organised by the European Commission’s Directorates-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD), Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), and Defence, Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). The Flanders Marine...

Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ, Belgium) takes a major step towards full-fledged remote-controlled operations for marine research and innovation. Following a European tender, VLIZ awarded the contract for the construction of a long-range, multi-purpose, unmanned surface vehicle (USV) to Maritime Robotics (Norway). Over the last year, Maritime Robotics and VLIZ have collaborated intensively on the...

With the commissioning of the state-of-the-art robot 'USV Gobelijn' and the fast work boat 'Abbé Mann', the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) has reached a new milestone. In combination with the realisation of a science port in Ostend, the research institute is ready for more flexible and remotely operated groundbreaking marine research and innovation.

This spring, the Flanders Marine Institute is opening six vacancies to recruit new PhD candidates. Curious which new research projects we are launching in close collaboration with one or more of the Flemish universities?

From 10 - 12 April 2024, over 1.500 in-person participants and thousands of virtual participants gathered for the 2024 Ocean Decade Conference , which was hosted by Spain, and co-organized by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC/UNESCO) in close collaboration with the Region of Catalonia and the Barcelona City Council.

Ocean and seas cover 71% of the Earth's surface and are inhabited by diverse forms of life. Among these inhabitants, plankton emerges as a crucial component of the marine ecosystem. They dominate marine life in terms of abundance and biomass, and are essential contributors to the food web and the biological carbon pump. Additionally, plankton can serve as early indicators of changes in the marine...

The non-profit organisations HYDRO and Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) are awarding the Dr Edouard Delcroix Incentive Award for the fifth time. This international annual scientific prize, worth 2,500 EUR, will be awarded to a young scientist conducting research in the broad field of "ocean and human health". The incentive prize is reserved for candidates who recently obtained their master's...

On 16 January 2024, the ‘Rustpunt’ in Ghent served as a historic, green site to host the three-day kick-off meeting of the new project 'DuneFront'. This innovative project is funded through the European Commission's Horizon Europe Programme and coordinated by Ghent University.

PLUXIN, one of the most comprehensive studies in Flemish coastal waters, seaports and estuaries, shows that plastic particles are everywhere. The quantities of 'microplastic' are an order of magnitude larger than the larger litter. It accumulates in riverbeds and on their banks. And estuaries, such as the Scheldt, are not sources of plastic to the open sea, but rather settling places. In turn, the...

Are you an early career ocean professionals working in Belgium or from the Global South? Then this call is your opportunity to personally attend the Ocean Decade conference 2024 in Barcelona. And to co-deliver the science we need, for the ocean we want. The application deadline is 26 January 2024.

The Flemish government, through the VLIZ, is investing half a million EUR in the development of an underwater sound library for the North Sea. With these funds, the VLIZ aims to achieve automatic recognition of natural and human noise sources in the sea. Such knowledge and tools are essential for offshore security and for numerous AI-based research initiatives. Flemish Minister for Science, Jo...

The charity arm of VLIZ - The Sea as a Good Cause – sets two travel grants available (each worth EUR 3000) for promising young marine scientists from the Global South, for participation in the Ecopath40 conference and workshop in June 2024.

The importance of marine research and innovation is greater than ever before, driven by the ocean's key role in addressing major societal challenges. The Belgian marine research and innovation landscape is taking an increasingly prominent role with high-quality, internationally oriented research at the interface between people, the environment and the economy.

On Friday 1 December 2023 at 14h00, the Scientific Guidance Committee of the VLIZ Scientific Committee will meet at the InnovOcean Campus in Oostende. Marine experts from scientific institutions, policy and industry are kindly invited to attend this open meeting. This is thé time to be informed about VLIZ's activities and its research agenda for 2024. That afternoon, the Compendium for Coast and...

Be part of the programme of VLIZ Marine Science Day 2024 on 6 March 2024 at De Grote Post in Oostende. The #VMSD24 – formally framed within the Belgian EU Presidency – will revolve entirely around the EU Mission Ocean & Waters, and its three main themes: ocean pollution, climate/carbon, and biodiversity. Make your own research part of the #VMSD24 programme and submit an abstract by 12 January 2024...

Between 6 and 9 November 2023, over a hundred ocean carbon scientists from around the world are gathered at the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) in Oostende, Belgium, to review the status of the Surface Ocean Carbon Value Chain and decide on specific improvements to the structure, process and resulting delivery of critical information towards policy makers. In the near future this will be done by...