BeNeSam

BeNeSam is the name of the Belgian-Dutch naval cooperation.

The history of the Belgian-Dutch naval cooperation goes back to 1948 when the idea of a joint staff occurred. In a secret military treaty both countries agreed to submit the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Belgian Navy to the command of a single officer in wartime because both navies would operate in the same sea area. This agreement was formalized when NATO activated Allied Command Channel (ACCHAN) in 1953. One of three subordinate commands of ACCHAN was the Benelux Sub-Area Channel Command (BENECHAN) based in Den Helder and consisting of the Belgian and Dutch navies.

Shortly after the end of the Cold War Belgium and the Netherlands signed an agreement settling the cooperation between the Belgian and Dutch navies in 1995, as well in peacetime as in wartime. As a result of this agreement the operational staffs of both navies were integrated in a joint staff under the command of the Admiral Benelux headquartered in Den Helder from 1 January 1996 on. It led to a unique form of cooperation of both navies in operational matters, training, logistics and maintenance. Both countries remain fully sovereign concerning the deployment of their forces.

Next to the "Admirality Benelux" the BeNeSam agreements also involve other forms of cooperation. The minehunters and frigates have been operating jointly for a number of years and a Belgian helicopter is regularly aboard a Dutch frigate. Joint training has taken place since 1975 at the binational school for mine counter measures Eguermin in Oostende. This school is also a NATO Centre of Excellence. The Mine Counter Measures Operational Sea Training takes place in Zeebrugge. There, ships are assessed if they are ready to enter operational service. Furthermore, operators and liaison staff of both navies have been jointly trained at the Belgian-Dutch Operational School since 1996. Naval cooks and waiters of both navies are trained in Bruges. As far as technical naval trainings are still done separately the two navies have had a joint curriculum since 2010.

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