2000 - Launch of IMIS (Integrated Marine Information System)
Test your skills in this IMIS and linked data systems research challenge
2001 - RV Zeeleeuw sails out to sea
Find out all about the VLIZ research vessels
2002 - Relocation to the former fish warehouses at Wandelaarkaai
Take a trip down memory lane with this photo overview - from Victorialaan to InnovOcean Campus
2003 - One of many: VLIZ Young Scientists Day 2003
The VLIZ Marine Science Day is as old as the institute, but has known different names and appearances through the years.
2004 - Evaluating & appreciating the Belgian Marine Bibliography (BMB)
In 2024, a graduate thesis was written on the topic of the Belgian Marine Bibliography, which is still the core collection of the VLIZ Library. Discover the many titles and services the library has to offer.
2005 - UNESCO/IOC Project Office for IODE is located with VLIZ
The IOC Project Office for IODE based in Oostende, Belgium was established on 25 April 2005, having VLIZ as a host (funded by the government of Flanders. The Project Office hosts the IODE secretariat and manages all IODE Programme Componements, Activitities and Projects.
2006 - First MARBOUND dataset
Marine Regions is a standard list of marine georeferenced place names and areas. It integrates and serves geographic information from the VLIMAR Gazetteer and the MARBOUND database and proposes a standard of marine georeferenced locations, boundaries and regions.
2007 - Start of the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
The aim of a World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. Mark your calendar: each year on Taxonomist Appreciation Day (19 March 19), WoRMS releases a Top 10, celebrating the fascinating discoveries of new marine species.
2008 - European Marine Board secretariat hosted by VLIZ
The European Marine Board (EMB) is the leading European think tank in marine science policy. It provides a platform to advance marine research and to bridge the gap between science and policy.
2009 - Start of European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet)
The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) is the European Commission (EC) in situ marine data service of the EC Directorate-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (EC DG MARE) and funded by the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund. EMODnet plays a pivotal role as a trusted source of in situ marine environmental and human activities data and data products, serving a diverse user base across various sectors.
2010 - Start of the preporatory phase of ICOS
Observing and following the concentration of greenhouse gases in the Belgian Coast and Southern Bight of the North Sea. Showing the evolution of VLIZ's contribution from an idea to a fully operational and productive data machine.
2011 - Launch of JPI Oceans
JPI Oceans is a pan-European platform aiming to increase efficiency and impact of research and innovation for sustainably healthy and productive seas and oceans. The member states’ national strategies and priorities are the main building blocks for a joint Strategy Framework to address marine and maritime issues.
2012 - Large-scale marine biodiversity observations
The mission of ETN, the European Tracking Network, is to track aquatic animals across Europe to better understand, protect and manage them. Don't forget to check the exclusive European Tracking Network t-shirts and sweaters at the VLIZ booth (pre-order until 31 March).
2013 - Publication of the first Compendium for Coast and Sea
The Compendium for Coast and Sea aims at aggregating the disperse information and data from the Flemish and Belgian marine and maritime research community and experts. In line with the Open Access policy,
the cited references are made publicly available as much as possible by means of the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) of VLIZ.
2014 - Flanders Department EWI hosts study day "From Open Access to Open Data"
VLIZ is committed to open science. We believe that open science is the best way to advance science and to make it more efficient, reliable and transparent. We are convinced that open science is the best way to make science more inclusive and to increase its societal impact. We are committed to open science because we believe that it is the best way to make science more fun.
2015 - Start of VLIZ Philanthropy "The Sea as A Good Cause"
"The Sea as a Good Cause" is VLIZ's philanthropic initiative aimed at supporting scientists globally in advancing our understanding of the seas and oceans. In addition to providing additional research grants, we offer opportunities for early-career scientists to attend conferences, facilitate working groups on emerging topics, and more. Our efforts in marine research are sustained through donations, membership fees, and sponsorships.
2016 - Organisation of CommOcean Conference in Bruges
Ocean literacy has seven basic principles. Based on these principles, the VLIZ organizes educational activities that increase ocean literacy. Ocean Literacy: Unveiling the Wonders of the Sea.
2017 - New covenant with the Flemish Government includes a research mandate
The starting signal for the VLIZ Research department was given in 2017, when VLIZ received a research mandate in the covenant 2017-2021. In the division of Ocean and Human Health, we strive to better understand the relationship between the marine environment, humans, and human influences on the marine environment. This results in research on the health status of the ocean, as well as research on the psychological, physiological and physical effects of the ocean on human health and well-being
2018 - Start of the Blue Cluster
Since 2018, VLIZ actively invests in the valorisation of marine research towards companies and innovation actors within the Blue Economy. In this way, VLIZ aims to enrich the innovation capacity and knowledge economy in Flanders. At the booth, different blue economy linked projects will be showcased.
2019 - Issue #50 of "De Grote Rede"
Over a time span of 25 years, VLIZ published quite some magazines, books, reports and policy briefs on a wide variety of topics. You can browse this archive of popular science publications and professional literature. But above all, discover how we want to keep you informed anno 2025!
2020 - USV Adhemar leaves and enters port, remotely operated
The VLIZ Marine Robotics Centre (MRC) pioneers in Marine Autonomous Systems (MAS) in order to enable comprehensive observations in remote, harsh, and vast environments within our world’s oceans and seas. In doing so, the MRC wants to fill important data gaps to advance our scientific knowledge and solve pressing marine and climate-related research questions. Furthermore, the MRC addresses specific technological innovation challenges that also have societal spillover towards the Blue Economy.
2021 - Launch of the UN Decade for Ocean Science and Sustainable Development
The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) (‘the Ocean Decade’) seeks to stimulate ocean science and knowledge generation to reverse the decline of the state of the ocean system and catalyse new opportunities for sustainable development of this massive marine ecosystem. The vision of the Ocean Decade is ‘the science we need for the ocean we want’.
2022 - New covenant 2022-2026
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time, with the ocean at the heart of it. The ocean acts as the ultimate climate regulator by absorbing about 90% of the excess heat from greenhouse gas warming and annually about 25% of all man-made CO2 emissions. It also bears the consequences of this buffering and of the changing climate. Ocean acidification, marine heat waves, deoxygenation and rising sea levels are causing stress to our marine ecosystems and coastal areas.
2023 - SoundLib project approval
SoundLib is a year-long project awarded to VLIZ by the Flemish Government with the aim of creating an underwater sound library of the North Sea for applications in Machine Learning (ML). Specifically, SoundLib will develop a strategy for collecting sound events, design a cost-effective, flexible, and scalable prototype and database architecture, and investigate machine learning methods for automatically processing the underwater sound. In parallel, field recordings of various sound sources will be carried out to populate the underwater sound library.
2024 - Finalisation of project Edito 1
The EDITO-Infra and EDITO-Model Lab projects are jointly building EDITO, which will provide the core of the European Digital Twin of the Ocean (EU DTO). The European Commission has mandated the main operators of Copernicus Marine (MOi) and EMODnet (VLIZ) to build, with a co-creative and fully inclusive approach, the backbone infrastructure (“EDITO-Infra”) of the future DTO. The EU DTO will be a public digital ecosystem that will encompass a broad range of sectoral and local digital twins that will be developed and run by, or for, a large variety of users. Besides EDITO, several projects and initiatives are developing many other “building blocks” of the EU DTO.
2025 - VLIZ 25th anniversary
Strike a pose and make a splash at VLIZ’s 25th Anniversary! Step in front of our green screen photo booth and capture the moment - whether you go for a serious, professional shot or let loose with a fun themed pose. Don't forget to include #VMSD25 if you share the picture on your social media!