Safe sailing
Safe sailing alongside Belgian offshore wind farms
Renewable offshore wind power is non-negotiable for Belgium. Our wind farms in the North Sea shore up our energy security, boost the economy and are propelling our country toward a greener future.
All in all, they're a wonderful sight that's best admired from a safe distance. Sailing your vessel into our Belgian offshore wind farms is dangerous and prohibited!
Download our campaign material >>
Why are you not allowed to enter the Belgian offshore wind farms?
Safe sailing is important. Our Belgian wind farms in the North Sea are seeing more and more unauthorised trespassers. Often, these are vessels that sail into our wind farms without permission. It's not just sailing that's not permitted: diving, kitesurfing and fishing among our wind farms are a no-no too. These activities are dangerous and present severe risks:
#1 Safety
Together, our offshore wind farms make up one big power station. Sailing in this area is not safe for yourself, for your boat and for the infrastructure of our wind farms. You could cause damage to the installations both above and below the waterline, there is a real risk of collisions, and rescue helicopters will struggle to reach you if you get into trouble.
#2 Operational costs
Unplanned activities in our wind farms can seriously disrupt normal operations. If you get into trouble, for example, and need to make an emergency stop, your anchor could damage the 220,000 V high-voltage cables on the seabed. If that happens, power generation will need to be halted for an indefinite period of time: an expensive interruption that could easily leave you with several million euros in compensation to pay.
#3 Monitoring
If you trespass into our wind farms regardless, our offshore facilities are fitted with nautical equipment such as radar, VHF and AIS to keep a close eye on marine navigation. The Belgian Coast Guard monitors whether the rules around trespassing are strictly complied with and will intervene where necessary. Anyone breaching the safety perimeter around our wind farms risks administrative penalties. In case of severe and sustained breaches, these fines may run up to 10,000 euros or more.
From what distance am I allowed to admire the Belgian wind farms?
Our Belgian offshore wind farms constitute a restricted area as defined in Notices to Mariners: NtM 2025 - No. 01 - notice 056.
If you keep a distance of 500 m from the perimeter of our energy zone, you are allowed to sail past. Just as impressive a sight, and completely safe! More information about the correct safety distances can be found on the website of the Federal Public Service Mobility and Transport. Thank you for sailing safely!
Are you backing our Safe Sailing campaign?
By informing everyone about the trespassing rules for our Belgian offshore wind farms, we can significantly reduce the number of trespassing incidents. Download our campaign material below:
- Poster: 'Safe sailing alongside Belgian offshore wind farms'
- Leaflet: 'Wind farms in the Belgian part of the North Sea'
Keen to physically distribute our posters and leaflets within your club, association or organisation? Simply send an email to info@belgianoffshoreplatform.be stating the number of printed posters and/or leaflets you'd like to receive and your address. Thanks!
Like and share our 'Safe Sailing' campaign on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
Fancy visiting our wind farms after all?
Several companies organise trips up to 30 km offshore. Contact Water-Taxi or Captain Blue for more information. They'll be happy to help you explore the wind farms up close in complete safety.
