Flanders Hydraulics Public Agency (FH p.a.) was established by decree of 31 January 2003 as an independent government body with its own legal personality and is situated within the Flemish government's Department of Mobility and Public Works (DMOW).  

FH p.a. was set up to meet the demand from other government bodies and private companies in Belgium and abroad to call on knowledge, experience and expertise available within the Flemish government regarding seaports, water-bound transport and hydraulic engineering in general.  

The establishment of FH p.a. made it possible for a number of DMOW departments (including Flanders Hydraulics hereinafter FH) and a number of departments of the Agency for Maritime Services and Coast to carry out such assignments for third parties.     

The "Decree containing various provisions on common transport, general mobility policy, road infrastructure and road policy, and water infrastructure and water policy" paved the way for a one-to-one relationship between the FH and the FH p.a., explicitly stating that FH p.a. should get its income from organisations other than the Flemish administration.