North Sea security, port checks and energy links between Britain and Belgium are being stepped up after both governments signed a new cooperation plan on 12 December 2025. For Teesside, the Humber and Tyne, that means tougher protection for subsea cables and wind farms, closer work on port security, and fresh momentum behind power and carbon links with Belgium.

The statement commits London and Brussels to build on the NorthSeal security platform and use the UK‑led JEF+ mechanism to deter hostile activity around pipelines, data cables and wind assets. NorthSeal has been live since January and lets six North Sea nations share alerts in real time; the UK and Belgium say they will lean into that model.

Why it matters here: Dogger Bank C plugs into the grid at Lackenby near Redcar, with operations run from the Port of Tyne. Keeping that power flowing as more turbines come online is exactly the kind of resilience this deal targets.

On energy, ministers confirmed fresh talks on Nautilus - a 1.4GW hybrid interconnector that would link the UK to Belgium via the Princess Elisabeth energy island while bringing offshore wind ashore. The existing Nemo Link has run at world‑class reliability, and developers say Nautilus could supply the equivalent of around 1.7 million homes.

Ports are central to the plan. Belgium and the UK pledged to reinforce security at logistics hubs - notably ports - while keeping trade moving. On the ground, Zeebrugge–Teesport freight has been growing this year; CLdN added sailings and larger vessels. “We continue to invest heavily in fleet and port infrastructure,” its chief executive said.

The crime picture is blunt. Both sides will deepen data‑sharing through Europol, INTERPOL and the Prüm system and aim to sign a new Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement in 2026. That matters on the Humber and Tees, where Border Force has posted record national drug seizures and organised gangs target unaccompanied freight.

On irregular migration, the plan flags “effective security technology and operational enhancements, notably at Zeebrugge”. Expect tighter scans and joint operations aimed at the networks moving people and small‑boats kit through Europe. Both governments restated their commitment to the ECHR while pursuing legal updates they say are needed to tackle exploitation.

The research and health chapter opens doors for Northern labs and manufacturers. The text namechecks Horizon Europe and the EU’s Critical Medicines Alliance; Brussels set the Alliance up in 2024 to tackle shortages, and the UK is currently a member, according to the statement.

The carbon capture line could be the most tangible for the Humber. London and Brussels want a bilateral arrangement under the London Protocol in the first half of 2026 to enable cross‑border CO₂ shipments for permanent storage. That dovetails with Viking CCS and ABP’s planned CO₂ import terminal at Immingham, targeting first cargoes from 2027, and with Teesside’s East Coast Cluster moving into build.

Shipping will also change. The UK and Belgium want a green corridor between their ports, building on the Clydebank Declaration. The Department for Transport already backed corridor work from the Port of Tyne to IJmuiden in 2024; a Zeebrugge link would give Northern exporters a cleaner, more predictable route into the EU.

Key dates now: Nautilus continues through regulatory steps; the UK–Belgium CO₂ arrangement is targeted by mid‑2026; and the law‑enforcement treaty is due in 2026. JEF and NorthSeal cooperation is ongoing, with JEF’s ‘Nordic Warden’ system already tracking risks to undersea cables.

It’s a technical document, but the test for the North is simple: more kit on our quaysides, better protection offshore, and steady progress on CO₂ and power links. Or, as Belgium’s North Sea minister put it earlier this year, “standing still is not an option.”