Working Conditions Aboard the Mahury

On January 28, 2021, multiple migrant vessels faced dire situations in the Strait of Pas-de-Calais, prompting the CROSS Gris-Nez to spring into action. The emergency service received alarming reports from SAMU 59 regarding a group of migrants in distress off the coast of Dunkirk. In response, CROSS deployed the dredger 'Scarpe' alongside the 'Notre-Dame des Flandres', a lifeboat from the SNSM station in Gravelines. Together, they successfully rescued nine vulnerable individuals who were then immediately assisted by firefighters and border police upon reaching the Dunkirk port. Shortly after, the CROSS Gris-Nez received another distress call from a group of migrants 2.4 nautical miles north of Dunkirk. The dredger 'Mahury' located the boat and promptly reported its visual contact to the CROSS, which subsequently dispatched the lifeboat 'Jean Bart II' from the Dunkirk SNSM station. This operation concluded with the safe recovery of 10 migrants, who were also taken to the port and attended to by the PAF. As rescue efforts continued, the ferry 'Dover Seaways' alerted the CROSS to yet another migrant vessel found in the Dunkirk channel. In light of the situation, the CROSS engaged the tugboat 'Abeille Languedoc', operated by the French Navy, which managed to retrieve 35 castaways, including six children and a woman who was reported unconscious. Following consultations with the maritime medical coordination service in Le Havre, the CROSS deployed 'Jean Bart II' again, placing a doctor aboard 'Abeille Languedoc'. Thankfully, the woman regained consciousness, and the SCMM advised that she should be transported via ambulance upon arrival. The rescued 35 migrants received professional care by SDIS 59 and the PAF at the Dunkirk port. Additionally, SAMU 62 relayed yet another message to CROSS Gris-Nez about migrants stranded off the coast of Calais. Acting swiftly, CROSS sent the lifeboat 'Notre-Dame du Risban' from the SNSM station in Calais to aid the group of 24 castaways, who were later assisted by SDIS 62 and the PAF upon arrival at the Calais port. This series of timely interventions underscores not only the critical and heroic efforts of maritime rescue teams but also highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis faced by migrants attempting dangerous crossings in these treacherous waters.

On February 18, 2016, Royal IHC proudly handed over the state-of-the-art trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD), MAHURY, to Baggerbedrijf de Boer – Dutch Dredging. This impressive twin-screw vessel, designed to hold 1,840 cubic meters of material, was crafted at IHC's associate shipyard, MTG Dolphin, located in Varna, Bulgaria. The MAHURY's journey began with its successful launch on August 14, 2015, followed by an official naming ceremony on October 29, 2015, in Varna. This latest addition marks the fourth TSHD built by IHC for Baggerbedrijf de Boer – Dutch Dredging, joining the ranks of its predecessors: ALBATROS, AMAZONE, and LESSE.