# Flanders Marine Institute

> organization

**Wikidata**: [Q2297636](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2297636)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flanders_Marine_Institute)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/flanders-marine-institute

## Summary
The Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) is a non-profit research institute established in 1999 and located in Ostend, Belgium. It serves as a center for marine and coastal research, with activities that also encompass the field of cultural heritage.

## Key Facts
- **Also Known As**: Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee, VLIZ, 弗兰德斯海洋研究所
- **Founded**: April 2, 1999
- **Location**: Ostend, Belgium (Wandelaarkaai 7, 8400)
- **Legal Status**: Non-profit organization
- **Director/Manager**: Jan Mees
- **Primary Industry**: Research
- **Website**: http://www.vliz.be (available in Dutch and English)
- **Coordinates**: 51.23281270259552, 2.9397846252961712

## FAQs
### Q: When was the Flanders Marine Institute established?
A: The Flanders Marine Institute was founded on April 2, 1999.

### Q: Where is the Flanders Marine Institute located?
A: The institute is headquartered in Ostend, Belgium, at Wandelaarkaai 7, postal code 8400.

### Q: What is the primary function of the Flanders Marine Institute?
A: It is a research institute with a field of work that includes cultural heritage, and it is classified within the research industry.

## Why It Matters
The Flanders Marine Institute acts as a central hub for marine and coastal research in the Flanders region of Belgium. By operating as a non-profit entity, it focuses on advancing scientific knowledge and preserving marine-related data and heritage rather than generating commercial profit. Its establishment provided a dedicated institutional framework for marine sciences, supporting both the scientific community and policy makers with research and data resources. The institute's work in cultural heritage further bridges the gap between scientific research and historical preservation, emphasizing the multifaceted importance of marine environments.

## Notable For
- Serving as a specialized research institute for marine and coastal studies.
- Operating as a non-profit organization since 1999.
- Maintaining a specific focus on the intersection of marine research and cultural heritage.
- Being a distinct entity with a comprehensive online and academic presence, including multiple language aliases and identifiers.

## Body
### Operational Details
The Flanders Marine Institute is a non-profit research institute. It was officially founded on April 2, 1999. The organization operates within the research industry and is also identified as a business entity. Its field of work explicitly includes cultural heritage.

### Location and Facilities
The institute's headquarters are located in the city of Ostend, Belgium. The physical street address is Wandelaarkaai 7, with the postal code 8400. The precise coordinates for its location are latitude 51.23281270259552 and longitude 2.9397846252961712. Another reference point for its headquarters lists coordinates as latitude 51.2317961 and longitude 2.931882.

### Leadership and Identification
Jan Mees serves as the director or manager of the institute. The organization holds various unique identifiers across academic and governmental systems:
- **GRID ID**: grid.426539.f
- **ISNI**: 0000000122309672
- **ROR ID**: 0496vr396
- **Enterprise Number (Belgium)**: 0466279196
- **EU VAT Number**: BE0466279196
- **EU Transparency Register ID**: 968695641327-04

### Digital Presence and Resources
VLIZ maintains a website at http://www.vliz.be, which provides content in both Dutch and English. It also operates an API endpoint using Shibboleth authentication. The institute has a notable footprint on social media and knowledge platforms:
- **Social Media**: Twitter (@vliznews), Facebook (VLIZnieuws), Instagram (vlizostend), YouTube (VLIZoostende).
- **Academic Profiles**: LinkedIn, Crunchbase, Microsoft Academic (discontinued), and various library authority IDs.
- **Wikipedia**: The institute has a Wikipedia title "Flanders Marine Institute" with pages in 10 different languages, including English, French, Dutch, and Chinese.

## References

1. [Source](https://erfgoedkaart.be/?id=10029)
2. [Crossroad Bank of Enterprises](http://kbopub.economie.fgov.be/kbopub/zoeknummerform.html?nummer=0466.279.196)
3. GRID Release 2017-01-10
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. GRID Release 2015-12-14
6. GRID Release 2016-12-06
7. Aligned ISNI and Ringgold identifiers for institutions
8. [Source](https://apps.db.ripe.net/search/lookup.html?source=ripe&key=2001:6a8:cc0::/48&type=inet6num)
9. [Source](https://orcid.org/signin)
10. Microsoft Academic Knowledge Graph
11. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)
12. YouTube API