The harbour of Blankenberge dates back to the late 19th century. Construction began in 1862, and by 1871 it was operational. From the outset, it proved problematic to sail out in westerly winds, and the draught was insufficient for keeled vessels. As early as 1913, plans were drawn up to build a new harbour on the west side of the channel. After the war, in 1925, a second project was considered again but was abandoned for budgetary reasons.
Between the two World Wars, Blankenberge’s fishing industry suffered a steady decline, and in June 1944, near the end of the war, the Germans destroyed the entire harbour infrastructure. Should the harbour of Blankenberge be preserved? Eventually, the decision was made to rebuild it, not as a fishing port, but as a marina.
In 1953, the first pontoon for mooring sailing yachts was installed, followed later by fixed floating pontoons. The harbour channel was dredged, and in the summer of 1955, Blankenberge’s harbour was officially established as a marina. The formal inauguration took place on 9 July 1955 in the presence of many dignitaries and on 3 June that year, the Scarphout Yacht Club Blankenberge had been founded. In the 1970s, it was decided to convert the tidal barrage into an extension of the marina. This expansion was inaugurated on 21 June 1980, increasing the total berth capacity to 800 boats. More recently, the harbour quay (barcadère) was renovated with a pedestrian path and seating areas. In 2000, a new expansion project began and was officially inaugurated during the 2004 Harbour Festival.
All of these developments cost many hundreds of millions, but preserving and expanding the old fishing port and the tidal barrage has proven to be a major asset for tourism in Blankenberge, especially for the harbour district.