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In the Yacht-Harbour of Ostend (Dutch=Oostende) lies the Mercator Ship .The Mercator was the ship that was used by the Belgian Navy for the instruction of the military sailors and navy-men. This three-master was built in 1931 and weighs 778 tons. It was used by the Belgian Navy until 1960. Since 1961 it serves as a museum. The Mercator took part in several exotic expeditions, most of them from scientific nature (e.g. to the Easter Islands, the Marquise Islands, Iceland and the North Pole area ) In 1936 the ship brought back to Belgium the remains of Father Damian, a Belgian priest who had dedicated his life to the plight of the lepers in Molokai, Hawaii, where he had died.Ostend-West Flanders -Belgium.