It comprises a joint control operation at sea by the Customs’ Maritime Brigade, the Maritime Police (SPN), the Fishery Inspection Service (DVZ), the Management Unit of North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM), the Directorate-General for the Environment, and also the Ministry of Defense represented by the Maritime Security Centre (MIK) and the support vessel A963 Stern that served as operational platform at sea for the various Coast Guard inspectors.
The aim of this operation is the joint execution of control activities, focusing mainly on fishery activities, MARPOL regulations on board merchant ships, transboundary traffic, and pollution controls in the Belgian EEZ. The observation aircraft of MUMM and a helicopter from the DG Environment flew several patrol flights in order to detect marine pollution from the air.
Several types of vessels were controlled and several offenders received an official statement. Despite the sometimes rough weather conditions, the operation was a success for all parties involved. Again this underlines the importance of joint, co-ordinated maritime controls.