Boat History
HISTORY
Launched 1899, commissioned 1900 for the custom department of the Belgium state.
1914-1918: Interned in Holland after the fall of Antwerp, 10 October 1914.
15 March 1922: Return to the “Custom” as Argus.
March 1935: Sold to the Interprovinciale.
Stoombootdiensten FLANDRIA N.V Dimensions registered as 30,6 x 6,4.
May 1940: Requisitioned by “Corps de Marine” (Belgian Navy)- Sunk. Raised and repaired by the Germans.
21 April 1942: Seized by Kreigsmarine and sailed to Hamburg for harbour duties.
1945: Recovered at Hamburg, repaired.
11 December 1945: Return to owners at Antwerp and back in service as FLANDRIA VII.
1952/53: Fitted out as a Red Cross hospital ship and renamed FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE (Dutch flag).
1958: Rebuilt and motorised, sold to the Rotterdamse Droogdok Maatschappij.
In the early seventies: Fitted out as a “party-boat” and operated as such for 18 years.
November 1990: Handed over to Contship Ltd and subsequently crossed to Harwich and then moored in Ipswich docks. Transformed into an Italian restaurant named Il Punto.
June 2009: Relaunch as Mariners under the same ownership.
Sep 2018: Chef, Julien Jourdain buys the boat.
