This international exercise deepens cooperation and prepares participants for potential tasks due to increasing military threats. Participating partners and the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasure group 1 (SNMCMG1) are not only working above Terschelling, Vlieland, and Schiermonnikoog. There is also a role for the ports of Delfzijl and Eemshaven. The latter are used by NATO allies for the transport of equipment and troops when necessary. Therefore, it is crucial to protect such a port. This is also being trained, especially by military personnel from the explosive ordnance disposal service and by Very Shallow Water (VSW) teams, or divers who operate in very shallow water.

To get a better picture of the activities in the North Sea, the navy regularly patrols there. Defence also escorts and monitors suspicious vessels, such as Russian ones. Patrol activities are tested during Sandy Coast and improved with the help of knowledge exchange.

As mentioned, participants also remove explosives. There are still thousands on the seabed of the North Sea. They date back to World War I and II and are difficult to find and remove. Since 2005, over 1,550 have been cleared.

Old munitions remnants may still cause explosions. They can damage ships, block shipping routes, or make ports inaccessible. Therefore, the navy continuously innovates in mine countermeasures and port protection, for example with underwater drones, which are also deployed here.

The Netherlands participates in the exercise with the mine hunters Zr.Ms. Willemstad and Zr.Ms. Schiedam, research vessel MV Geosea, and submersible Nautilus. Additionally, the Hydrograaf Expeditionary Survey Boat has a task in the Wadden Sea. This survey vessel maps waters, ports, and shipping channels. The southern neighbors provide mine hunter BNS Lobelia. Additionally, VSW teams from the Netherlands and Belgium are involved. Estonia, finally, provides a diving team and explosive ordnance disposal experts. Observers from the three participating countries are also present.

Sandy Coast alternates between the Netherlands and Belgium. This edition lasts until August 29, 2025.