The VLIZ Annual Report 2024 offers a clear and concise look back at the key moments of the past year. It outlines how the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) supported marine science, policy makers, industry, educators, and the general public. Using performance indicators (KPIs), impact stories, statistics, and lists, the annual report gives a transparent overview of the institute’s overall activities.
Key Achievements in 2024
VLIZ once again marked an eventful year. The InnovOcean Campus – home base of VLIZ – became the first public building to receive the ‘A++ Excellent Accessibility’ label from Inter, the Flemish Accessibility Expertise Centre. Another major development was the full completion of the Marine Station Ostend expansion. This included a brand-new office building and the renovation of the historic bunker at the Halve Maan site. The adjacent Fishery Dock now features a new ‘science harbour’, which serves as a mooring spot for two new sea-going research vessels: the workboat Abbé Mann and the surface vehicle USV Gobelijn.
VLIZ also signed a formal agreement with Belgian Defence to further strengthen its collaboration with the Belgian Navy. This shows the military’s commitment to working more closely with civil partners and VLIZ’s ambition to increase the social impact of marine research.
Another proud moment came when six PhD researchers – working jointly with VLIZ and various universities and research institutions – graduated as the very first cohort of its kind.
Other Highlights from 2024 are:
- the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) published Understanding the Contribution of Flanders’ Public Marine Data to Society, with input from VLIZ.
- VLIZ’s library celebrated the 1000th edition of its weekly ‘Library Acquisitions’ newsletter.
- De Zee Als Goed Doel, VLIZ’s philanthropy platform, was officially recognised as the world’s first Grant Making Facility in support of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030).
- The third Digital Ocean Forum (DOF2024) took place, backed by VLIZ as a key developer of Europe’s Digital Twin Ocean infrastructure (EDITO).
Impact in Focus
The Annual Report also zooms in on three projects from 2024 where VLIZ made a significant social or economic impact:
- Its contribution to polar research;
- The Marine Regions geographical information system;
- The Sea Level Station Monitoring Facility, a central platform for real-time sea level data.
You can read both the Dutch and English versions of the Annual Report on the VLIZ website.