Meet the Global Mercy™
Meet the Global Mercy™
It all started in 2011. After operating repurposed surgical ships for more than 30 years, Mercy Ships decided it was time to bring a new dream to life and make an impact on more people than ever before.
It was time to construct the organization’s first purpose-built hospital ship from scratch.
Meet the Global Mercy. After a decade of planning, construction, and collaboration from donors and partners around the globe, the Global Mercy is more than just a dream – she’s the world’s largest civilian hospital ship built to serve patients in Africa.
The ship was commissioned in Senegal in 2022, and she returned for her first surgical field service in 2023. As a floating hospital and training center with a total capacity of 950 people, she will be the site of life-transforming surgery for hundreds of thousands of people during her lifespan.
It all started in 2011. After operating repurposed surgical ships for more than 30 years, Mercy Ships decided it was time to bring a new dream to life and make an impact on more people than ever before.
It was time to construct the organization’s first purpose-built hospital ship from scratch.
Meet the Global Mercy. After a decade of planning, construction, and collaboration from donors and partners around the globe, the Global Mercy is more than just a dream – she’s the world’s largest civilian hospital ship built to serve patients in Africa.
The ship was commissioned in Senegal in 2022, and she returned for her first surgical field service in 2023. As a floating hospital and training center with a total capacity of 950 people, she will be the site of life-transforming surgery for hundreds of thousands of people during her lifespan.
Facts About the Global Mercy:
– Length: 174 meters
– Weight: 37,000 tons
– Hospital: 6 operating rooms, 102 acute care beds, 7 ICU beds, 90 self-care beds
– Capacity: Over 600 professional volunteers from around the world representing a variety of disciplines, including surgeons, mariners, cooks, teachers, electricians, reception staff, and many more.
– Spaces have been designed to host up to 950 crew and guests, including a 682-seat auditorium, a school, a gymnasium, a pool, a café, a store, and a library when the ship is docked.
Facts About the Global Mercy:
– Length: 174 meters
– Weight: 37,000 tons
– Hospital: 6 operating rooms, 102 acute care beds, 7 ICU beds, 90 self-care beds
– Capacity: Over 600 professional volunteers from around the world representing a variety of disciplines, including surgeons, mariners, cooks, teachers, electricians, reception staff, and many more.
– Spaces have been designed to host up to 950 crew and guests, including a 682-seat auditorium, a school, a gymnasium, a pool, a café, a store, and a library when the ship is docked.
Meet the Africa Mercy®
Meet the Africa Mercy®
Acquired in 1999 through a donation from Balcraig Foundation, the Dronning Ingrid was renamed the Africa Mercy in April of 2000. The conversion from a Danish rail ferry to a state-of-the-art hospital ship was completed at A&P Shipyard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in March of 2007, and her first field service took place that same year in Liberia.
The hospital covers most of the original rail deck – approximately 1,200 square meters. It is divided into quadrants containing supply/services, five operating theatres, a four-bed recovery area, intensive care for up to five individuals, and 75 ward beds.
The Africa Mercy and her crew have had the privilege of partnering with 11 host nations during her lifespan. In 2023, she underwent an intensive refit in Durban, South Africa, to improve services provided for patients and extend her lifespan.
Facts About the Africa Mercy:
– Length: 152 meters
– Weight: 16,572 tons
– Hospital: 5 operating theatres, 80 acute care beds, 5 ICU beds
– An estimated 16,500 volunteers from more than 90 countries have served on board so far
– The Africa Mercy can accommodate 470 crewmembers, and includes a 350-seat auditorium, an academy to teach more than 65 students, a café, and a ship shop.
Acquired in 1999 through a donation from Balcraig Foundation, the Dronning Ingrid was renamed the Africa Mercy in April of 2000. The conversion from a Danish rail ferry to a state-of-the-art hospital ship was completed at A&P Shipyard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in March of 2007, and her first field service took place that same year in Liberia.
The hospital covers most of the original rail deck – approximately 1,200 square meters. It is divided into quadrants containing supply/services, five operating theatres, a four-bed recovery area, intensive care for up to five individuals, and 75 ward beds.
The Africa Mercy and her crew have had the privilege of partnering with 11 host nations during her lifespan. In 2023, she underwent an intensive refit in Durban, South Africa, to improve services provided for patients and extend her lifespan.
Facts About the Africa Mercy:
– Length: 152 meters
– Weight: 16,572 tons
– Hospital: 5 operating theatres, 80 acute care beds, 5 ICU beds
– An estimated 16,500 volunteers from more than 90 countries have served on board so far
– The Africa Mercy can accommodate 470 crewmembers, and includes a 350-seat auditorium, an academy to teach more than 65 students, a café, and a ship shop.
Who We Are
Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships is a global faith-based charity that uses hospital ships and volunteer professionals to deliver free specialized surgical care and medical training to build the local healthcare systems with our host nations, focusing in Africa.
Medical Training
Mercy Ships offers education and training projects to help strengthen the standards of surgical care in communities of the countries we serve, leaving a lasting impact. Specialized training is provided to local healthcare professionals in techniques and procedures appropriate to their environment.
How We Help
Mercy Ships comes alongside our host nation with volunteer professionals to address the immediate surgical needs of a nation, simultaneously training local healthcare workers, and collaboratively building healthcare infrastructure. This approach empowers our host’s sustainable progress and continued development.
Who We Are
Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships is a global faith-based charity that uses hospital ships and volunteer professionals to deliver free specialized surgical care and medical training to build the local healthcare systems with our host nations, focusing in Africa.
Medical Training
Mercy Ships offers education and training projects to help strengthen the standards of surgical care in communities of the countries we serve, leaving a lasting impact. Specialized training is provided to local healthcare professionals in techniques and procedures appropriate to their environment.
How We Help
Mercy Ships comes alongside our host nation with volunteer professionals to address the immediate surgical needs of a nation, simultaneously training local healthcare workers, and collaboratively building healthcare infrastructure. This approach empowers our host’s sustainable progress and continued development.
Ask Us Anything
We are excited to share our story with you. We believe that a successful collaboration is based on mutual trust. By being transparent with local media and organizations and inviting them to learn more about our mission, we hope to build strong partnerships that will help us achieve our goals.
For this purpose, we have selected for you the most important facts and figures about Mercy Ships.
If you have any questions, please contact us using this form. Our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Get in Touch
Please be aware, we’re not taking any referrals through this form. Referrals through messages or email will not be received. Any other message we will try to respond to ASAP.
Ask Us Anything
We are excited to share our story with you. We believe that a successful collaboration is based on mutual trust. By being transparent with local media and organizations and inviting them to learn more about our mission, we hope to build strong partnerships that will help us achieve our goals.
For this purpose, we have selected for you the most important facts and figures about Mercy Ships.
If you have any questions, please contact us using this form. Our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Get in Touch
Please be aware, we’re not taking any referrals through this form. Referrals through messages or email will not be received. Any other message we will try to respond to ASAP.