▁was ▁d red ged ▁in ▁what ▁Richard son ▁calls ▁" qu ite ▁hero ic ▁circumstances ". ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 3 0 s ▁DE ME - comp an ies ▁were ▁at ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁port ▁of ▁Now - Ch ahr ▁and ▁in ▁Ph nom ▁Pen h , ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁then ▁French ▁prote ctor ate ▁of ▁Camb odia . ▁where ▁A ck erm ans ▁& ▁van ▁H aar en ' s ▁flags hip ▁Ant wer pen ▁III ▁was ▁assigned ▁for ▁d red ging ▁the ▁M ek ong ▁river . ▁ ▁Richard son ▁( page ▁ 1 4 ) ▁claims ▁" the ▁mar itime ▁history ▁of ▁France ▁may ▁be ▁written ▁by ▁way ▁of ▁the ▁invol vement ▁of ▁A ck erm ans ▁& ▁van ▁H aar en ▁in ▁building ▁and ▁d red ging ▁its ▁Atlantic ▁and ▁Mediter rane an ▁ports ." ▁In ▁particular , ▁DE ME - comp an ies ▁have ▁been ▁involved ▁in ▁all ▁success ive ▁phases ▁of ▁the ▁extension ▁of ▁the ▁Port ▁of ▁Le ▁Hav re ▁since ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁– ▁the ▁latest ▁phase ▁being ▁Le ▁Hav re ▁Port ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Another ▁DE ME ▁operating ▁company , ▁B agger wer ken ▁Dec lo ed t ▁& ▁Z oon , ▁has ▁been ▁involved ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁century ▁with ▁d red ging ▁the ▁mar itime ▁access ▁channels ▁to ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁sea ▁ports . ▁Among ▁the ▁company ' s ▁early ▁assign ments ▁in ▁Asia , ▁three ▁projects ▁stand ▁out : ▁construction ▁of ▁the