Our services
VLIZ offers a wide range of scientific and technical services to support marine research, conservation, and sustainable use of marine resources. As a key player in the field of marine science, VLIZ provides access to an extensive array of data and research tools, including management and dissemination of marine data. VLIZ is dedicated to fostering collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and industry professionals by offering state-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and expertise.
Explore below what VLIZ can offer you, from access to research infrastructure to specialized services like the management of the RV Simon Stevin, a research vessel equipped for advanced oceanographic studies. Whether you're involved in marine biodiversity, environmental monitoring, or climate change research, VLIZ’s resources and collaborative opportunities can support and enhance your work.
Data-request
Looking for clean, reliable, and quality-checked marine data? Whether you're from the private sector, academia, or an NGO, our team is here to assist. Send us your data request today, and we’ll provide the high-quality information you need for your research or projects.
Map service
GeoServer publishes data from any major spatial data source using open standards. Marine Regions is a standard list of marine georeferenced place names and areas.
IT services
IT helps employees of VLIZ and partners at the InnovOcean site with IT-related hardware and software issues. See more here.
Library
The library is a public information center housing a wealth of information about the Flemish coast, the North Sea and the world's oceans. The collection can be browsed online, or on-site on the InnovOcean Campus. The library is open to the public.
DOI
VLIZ offers a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) data publication service to enable researchers to publish their data as citable and traceable datasets.
Open AIS
Open AIS is a set of tools that are aimed at reducing the time, technical skills, and domain expertise required to derive meaningful insight from raw vessel tracking data. The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a real-time, anti-collision system.
Open Science
Maximize your research impact with the annual FAIR data course for marine biologists. Learn the principles of Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable data. Join us in Oostende or online for an enriching experience.
MOC
The Marine Observation Centre (MOC) is dedicated to performing essential, long-term, and multidisciplinary observations of the marine environment, enhancing our understanding of the dynamics and functioning of marine and coastal ecosystems.
Infra
VLIZ's Infra, or infrastructure, is responsible for the scientific programme and manages the RV Simon Stevin's scientific equipment. All features of the vessel can be found in this technical sheet.
Store your data
VLIZ highly values Open Science, and is therefore happy to make the data that are collected and processed freely available. This is done both through the library in the form of publications, and through the data center in the form of datasets.
Publish your data
You can publish your (meta) data using IMIS on MarineInfo.org. Data is made accessible in an efficient and open manner. The VLIZ is accredited as an IODE National Oceanographic Data Center.