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The harbor of Oostende is not the largest one in Belgium (the ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge are the most important ones). Although medium-sized, the Oostende harbor is multi-faceted.

Across the bridge at the end of the boulevard 'De Smet-De Naeyer' lies the main harbor area. The entrance, when one comes from the sea, is marked by a lighthouse called 'Lange Nelle'. This is where the Oostende freight harbor is being expanded. There is a new sealock that can allow ships with a tonnage of 10.000 tons to enter the harbor. From here access can be given to the canal 'Oostende-Plassendale' which allows the connection with the hinterland.

A little more inward lies the fisher harbor with its large fish-market 'de Vismijn'.

A bit further is the 'Spuikom', a large but quite undeep dock that is mainly used for watersports. All year through, numerous little sailing boats and windsurfers can be seen here.

More towards the center of the city, the smaller 'Yacht'-harbor can be visited. Over the smaller boats towers the splendid 'Mercator', once the ship that the Belgian Navy used (until 1960) for the training and instruction of its sailors.

Oostende is well known to the British. It has been since the middle of the 19th century one of the main ferry harbors to Britain.

For a long time the Belgian RMT exploited a ferry-line between Oostende and Dover. Since a few years this ferry-line has been taken over by British companies (such as Hover Speed Fast Ferries). There are different possibilities to cross the English channel (e.g. by ferry  or by the faster catamarans). A special attractions for the British coming to the continent has always been the Duty Free shop on board of the ships). At the moment the rates are quite cheap because of the increasing competition with the Channel Tunnel .
 

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