TOPIC: Closures in Belgium

Ten gevolge van de huidige Covid-19 uitbraak, en aansluitend op de hieronder reeds gecommuniceerde mededeling betreffende de waterwegenvergunning, kan ik verder meedelen dat de startdatum waarop een waterwegenvergunning verplicht is (nl. 1 april 2020), uitgesteld wordt tot de eerste dag van de maand volgend op het einde van de federale maatregelen. De startdatum van de betrokken reeds aangekochte waterwegenvergunningen wordt in die zin automatisch aangepast. De duurtijd van deze waterwegenvergunningen blijft dezelfde.
Voor waterwegenvergunningen van beperkte duur, waarbij de duurtijd volledig valt binnen de tijdspanne van de federale maatregelen, wordt voorzien in een volledige terugbetaling, daar er geen gebruik kan gemaakt worden van de betrokken dienstverlening of ter beschikking stelling.



Alle maatregelen ten gevolge van Covid-19 uitbraak zijn steeds te vinden op www.visuris.be/maatregelen



Vriendelijke groet,




Koen Maeghe
Afdelingshoofd

De Vlaamse Waterweg nv
Afdeling Sturin
Havenstraat 44, 3500 Hasselt

As a result of the current Covid-19 outbreak, and following the communication concerning the waterways permit already communicated below, I can further announce that the start date on which a waterways permit is compulsory (ie April 1, 2020) will be postponed until the first day of the month following the end of federal measures. The start date of the waterways permits in question already purchased is automatically adjusted in this sense. The duration of these waterway permits remains the same.
For waterways permits of a limited duration, where the duration is completely within the time frame of the federal measures, a full refund is provided, as no use can be made of the services concerned or the provision thereof.



All measures resulting from the Covid-19 outbreak can always be found at www.visuris.be/ measures

Hello Balliol,

The French use the word art in similar fashion using the collective term for locks, bridges aqueducts etc as: ouvrages d'art which translates variously as: works of art; engineering structures; civil engineering works according to my now preferred online translator, deepl.com

Loved your teething troubles story.

Cheers,

Bob

Being a bit lazy I tend to read the helpfully provided English version of the Visuris site (although I can read Dutch reasonably well in the contexts I am used to dealing with) but I was slightly puzzled by their occasional references to "artworks." I know that the Dutch for "structures" is "kuntswerken", but if you use Google Translate, or indeed my old Prisma Dutch dictionary, "kuntswerken" actually translates as "works of art." Given the nature of some Belgian lock structures I would not immediately have made the connection! I guess Visuris use Google Translate!

Just thought a few people might be wondering!

It reminds me of when I asked the previous owner of "Actief" in our usual exchange of Christmas letters (I write to him in Dutch and he replies in English, just for mutual practice) how the new crane on his new larger ship was working out. His reply was that it was suffering from "some children's diseases of the teeth." I guessed that one.

Balliol.

VisuRIS have clarified their position re their Flanders Vignette.

New measures will be published on the website, please keep an eye on the following page for more news:

www.visuris.be/maatregelen

The Belgian PM today extended the lock down for 2 weeks until 19th April. She also said a further extension to 2nd May was possible.

I would have thought the further extension was inevitable.

Regards
Rob

Thanks Rob,
I have also just seen the message from VPF.
Terry

I've just received an email from VPF saying they will continue winter rates for winter moorers stuck in the Coupure (and presumably other VPF sites). They say they will do this until 2 weeks after the Belgian government lifts restrictions.

I think that's very fair and it will work well provided the Belgian government stays more or less in step with France

regards
Rob

Hi Chris,
I don't think VPF is being very greedy the 11 euro rate is about half their summer rate and when I asked them neither of us knew if it was going to be for a few weeks or longer term. I am very happy to have my boat on a safe mooring with a harbour master keeping an eye on her in a country that currently I can not travel to. I do not feel that VPF is taking advantage of a captive audience and we need to support these organisations through this difficult period as their income is going to be severely affected.
Terry

Chris Grant wrote: Terry, I think VPF are being very greedy not to extend the winter rate considering it is impossible to leave due to navigation being closed. They are simply taking advantage of a captive audience and would have no income at all from other visiting boats if it were not for the winter moorers like you already there. A very poor response to a crisis in my opinion.

No income from other visiting boats is a dilemma for most marinas and ports. Some ports already have an annual rate (which may not be well publicised) so it's worth asking for a long-term discount.

Pete

Charles Mclaren wrote: Sorry as I’m sure it’s Been mentioned...situation in Holland re boat movements?? Tx. C

When a member reports the situation in Netherlands - or better gives a reliable news likk, it will appear here under its own topic..

Terry, I think VPF are being very greedy not to extend the winter rate considering it is impossible to leave due to navigation being closed. They are simply taking advantage of a captive audience and would have no income at all from other visiting boats if it were not for the winter moorers like you already there. A very poor response to a crisis in my opinion.

Terry Hawkes wrote: I was planning on leaving Flanders next week but will be staying put in the Coupure for now. VPF had already said that I can keep the boat there through April for 11 Euros a day which is about double the winter rate. I am happy with this as I know the boat is safe there and the harbour master will keep an eye on it.

I will have to pay for the annual Vignette but it is not much higher than if I waited until October when I planned to return. I was planning on spending the summer months in France but because it remains unknown when this will be possible I will wait before I buy the VNF Vignette.

Sorry as I’m sure it’s Been mentioned...situation in Holland re boat movements?? Tx. C

I was planning on leaving Flanders next week but will be staying put in the Coupure for now. VPF had already said that I can keep the boat there through April for 11 Euros a day which is about double the winter rate. I am happy with this as I know the boat is safe there and the harbour master will keep an eye on it.

I will have to pay for the annual Vignette but it is not much higher than if I waited until October when I planned to return. I was planning on spending the summer months in France but because it remains unknown when this will be possible I will wait before I buy the VNF Vignette.

Balliol Fowden wrote: Here is the full notice:

In brief, Flanders, like France, is closed to pleasure boating! Has anyone seen news of Wallonia?

Pete

Presumably you would have been buying a Vignette from 1st. April to cover the start of your cruising, albeit a short term one perhaps. The question that you will have to take a simple stab at is whether you need to buy one for a longer period to cover a possibly protracted closure. I think it unlikely that there will be a relaxation in the requirements for the vignette but who knows? Airlines and some hotel operators have reacted very sympathetically to date to what is perhaps thought of as an act of (Chinese?) God! The fines for non-compliance are however quite high.

So far as mooring is concerned, and whether the mooring operator invokes in- season mooring rates or not, it will be a matter for individual mooring operators to make a commercial decision. Most of their costs will be fixed, irrespective of Covid. They will also be losing much of their normal seasonal passing trade from Easter onwards. If you are on a secure mooring then I suspect that I would be grateful to have that, particularly if unable to attend on board. It would not be normal for a mooring operator to make any reduction in tariffs even in the case of more normal unscheduled medium term waterway stoppages which might prevent your moving the boat.

Balliol.

We need to renew our Belgian licence shortly however the waterways are closed, normally you need one even if not moving but that would be your choice, now you have none, so where do we stand?
Also mooring, the intention was to start cruising in April, might be possible might not and if not what are the rates likely to be?

Ken

Here is the full notice:

Possibly not all waterways, or all parts of waterways, are involved: I can't see mention of the Kanaal Nieuwpoort Duinkerke for example. I suspect this is an accidental omission however.

Announcement: Limitations
published by De Vlaamse Waterweg nv on 18/03/2020, 07:43


Valid from 18/03/2020 to 03/04/2020, for Pleasurecraft (All directions)


This message is valid for Fairway Ringvaart om Gent, km 1,1 to km 21,8


and for Fairway Boven-Schelde, km 27,3 to km 77,6


and for Fairway Leie, km 0,0 to Toeristische Leie, km 55,0


and for Fairway Grensleie, km 8,8 to km 16,8


and for Fairway Kanaal Bossuit-Kortrijk, km 0,1 to km 15,5


and for Fairway Kanaal Roeselare-Leie, km 0,0 to km 16,6


and for Fairway Kanaal Ieper-IJzer, km 0,0 to km 15,1


and for Fairway IJzer, km 0,0 to km 43,8


and for Fairway Verbindingskanaal te Nieuwpoort, km 0,0 to km 0,7


and for Fairway Kanaal Plassendale-Nieuwpoort, km 0,0 to km 21,2


and for Fairway Lokanaal, km 0,0 to km 14,4


and for Fairway Afleidingskanaal van de Leie, km 0,0 to km 27,5


and for Fairway Kanaal Gent-Terneuzen, km 0,0 to km 2,0


and for Fairway Boven-Zeeschelde, km 0,0 to km 67,9


and for Fairway Zeekanaal Brussel-Schelde, km 7,7 to km 34,8


and for Fairway Dender, km 17,4 to km 65,6


and for Fairway Kanaal naar Charleroi, km 47,9 to km 61,6


and for Fairway Rupel, km 0,0 to km 11,7


and for Fairway Kanaal Leuven-Dijle, km 0,0 to km 30,1


and for Fairway Netekanaal, km 0,0 to Beneden-Nete, km 25,3


and for Fairway Kanaal Gent-Oostende, km 16,9 to km 0,0


and for Fairway Kanaal Gent-Oostende, km 45,0 to Verbindingskanaal Gent, km 0,0


and for Fairway Moervaart, km 0,0 to km 13,7


and for Fairway Beneden-Durme, km 0,0 to Boven-Durme, km 7,1


and for Fairway Albertkanaal, km 18,8 to km 129,7


and for Fairway Kanaal Briegden-Neerharen, km 0,0 to km 4,0


and for Fairway Zuid-Willemsvaart zuid, km 3,2 to km 42,2


and for Fairway Zuid-Willemsvaart noord, km 42,4 to km 47,1


and for Fairway Kanaal Bocholt-Herentals, km 0,0 to km 52,6


and for Fairway Kanaal naar Beverlo, km 0,0 to km 14,8


and for Fairway Kanaal Dessel-Kwaadmechelen, km 0,0 to km 5,2


and for Fairway Kanaal Dessel-Turnhout-Schoten, km 0,0 to km 63,1


and for Fairway Schelde-Rijnverbinding, km 0,0 to km 5,2


Additional information (Dutch):
“Ter uitvoering van de maatregelen die de Federale en Vlaamse overheid hebben afgekondigd naar aanleiding van het Covid-19-virus (m.n.: “alle zogenaamde recreatieve activiteiten (sport, cultuur, folklore, enz.) worden geannuleerd, ongeacht hun omvang en of ze openbaar of privé zijn”), is tot en met vrijdag 3 april 2020 24.00 elke vorm van recreatievaart en watersport (zowel in groep als individueel) verboden op alle bevaarbare waterwegen in Vlaanderen.”

Attachment: www.visuris.be/Nieuwsbericht?NewsItem=fe1d0e13-bbe6-4006-a20b-04884a12539c


Source: FTM/BE/De Vlaamse Waterweg nv/2020/0591/00

Balliol.

Emailed by Visuris 06.45 this morning:

"To implement the measures announced by the Federal and Flemish authorities in response to the Covid-19 virus (in particular:“ all so-called recreational activities (sports, culture, folklore, etc.) are canceled, regardless of their size and whether they public or private ”), until Friday 3 April 2020 24.00 any form of recreational boating and water sports (both in group and individually) is prohibited on all navigable waterways in Flanders.”

Balliol.

Belgium is on lockdown from midday Wednesday.

www.thebulletin.be/belgium-orders-people-stay-home-until-5-april

There are no limitations -that I've heard of yet - on the waterways but it seems likely to follow. If you have to move, do it now.

Pete

A detailed article about the situation in Belgium by The Bulletin online magazine.
---LINK CORRECTED---

Pete

Additional measures coronavirus

In the interest of public health safety, the Belgian Government is taking a series of additional measures to slow down the spread of the coronavirus. All leisure activities will be suspended from Friday March 13 to April 3. These include museums, swimming pools, sports halls, markets, forums and libraries as well as restaurants and bars. Updated information can be found HERE