Zeebrugge (Dutch pronunciation: [zeːˈbrʏɣə] ⓘ; from Brugge aan zee[1] [ˌbrʏɣə ʔaːn ˈzeː], meaning "Bruges-on-Sea";[2] French: Zeebruges, pronounced [zebʁyʒ]) is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port.

Its central location on the Belgian coast, short distance to Great Britain and close vicinity to densely populated industrialised cities make it a crossroads for traffic from all directions.

[5] The harbour was the site of the Zeebrugge Raid on 23 April 1918, when the British Royal Navy temporarily put the German inland naval base at Bruges out of action.

[6] Admiral Roger Keyes planned and led the raid that stormed the German batteries and sank three old warships at the entrance to the canal leading to the inland port.

Later, in 1987, Zeebrugge's harbour was the scene of disaster when the MS Herald of Free Enterprise passenger ferry capsized, having set sail with her bow doors open, killing 193 people.