Ostend (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Ostend’s Oceanographic Meteorological Station, run by RMI and MDK, celebrates 25 years, providing coastal forecasts to 3,000 daily users; head David Dehenauw highlights €800,000 annual operations supporting safety and economy.
As VRT News reported, the Oceanographic Meteorological Station in Ostend marks 25 years since it opened in 2000. It is located in the centre of Ostend’s harbour. The station is run by the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI) and works in partnership with the Flemish Agency for Maritime Services and Coast (MDK).
Officials mentioned that its main purpose is to provide weather forecasts specifically for the Belgian coast and the North Sea. These forecasts are important for ships, fishing vessels, and recreational boating. The station has become a key source of information for monitoring coastal and sea conditions.
“This is a specialised weather report for the coast, the shipping channels to the Western Scheldt, the coastal ports, and, for several years now, the port of Antwerp as well,”
explains David Dehenauw, Head of Forecasting at the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI).
“In it, we show weather forecasts for the coast, as well as wind speeds, high or low tides, the chance of precipitation, and even wave height.”
How does Ostend’s Oceanographic Station protect ships and support the economy?
The Ostend station collects information from a wide network of instruments along the coast and at sea. This includes measuring poles, buoys, tide stations, and sensors for wind and currents. Unlike regular RMI forecasts, which mostly rely on data from Uccle near Brussels, these measurements allow for precise, local forecasts. The data helps guide navigation, improves safety, and supports studies of coastal weather patterns.
“That weather forecast often gave an inaccurate picture of the weather conditions on the coast, which led to frequent complaints from business owners and residents along the coast,”
Dehenauw explains.
“The weather forecast is updated four times a day.”
The Oceanographic Meteorological Station in Ostend provides coastal weather forecasts on its website. The site attracts about 3,000 visitors each day.
“This includes day trippers, coastal residents, and even water sports enthusiasts,”
says Dehenauw.
“During the peak months of July and August, we see up to 250,000 visitors per month.”
According to officials, pilots, shipping escorts, and port authorities rely on these forecasts to plan their work. Companies that operate at sea, including dredging firms and offshore wind farm operators, also use the data. The forecasts give accurate information about wind, waves, and tides along the coast and at sea. This data is not available from national weather reports.
According to meteorologist Dehenauw, the station costs around €800,000 a year to run. He says the benefits of the forecasts far exceed the costs.
“It’s not just about safety, but by providing skippers with better and more accurate weather forecasts, we can prevent accidents at sea and reduce waiting times for ships entering and leaving our ports,”
says Dehenauw.
“That makes a real contribution to our economy.”
Dehenauw mentioned that, for example, the station is involved in the floating transport of concrete elements for the new Oosterweel tunnel in Antwerp. Reliable predictions of wind speed, wave height, and wave period are essential for safe transport. The station’s work helps prevent accidents and delays.
