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. Time to bring a new dream to life. Time to impact more people than ever.

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 – and she’s finally serving patients in Africa.

The Global Mercy 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 the capacity for 950 people on board, she will be the site of life-transforming surgery for hundreds of thousands of people in her lifespan.

It all started in 2011. After operating repurposed surgical ships for more than 30 years, Mercy Ships decided it was time. Time to bring a new dream to life. Time to impact more people than ever.

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 – and she’s finally serving patients in Africa.

The Global Mercy 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 the capacity for 950 people on board, she will be the site of life-transforming surgery for hundreds of thousands of people in her lifespan.

A few 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.

A few 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 2000. The conversion from Danish rail ferry to state-of-the-art hospital ship was completed at A & P Shipyard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in March 2007. Her first field service took place that 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, 5 operating theatres, a four-bed recovery area, intensive care for up to 5 individuals, and 75 ward beds.

The Africa Mercy and her crew have had the privilege of partnering with 11 host nations during the ship’s lifespan. In 2023, she underwent an intensive refit in Durban, South Africa, to prepare her for many more years of service.

A few 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 2000. The conversion from Danish rail ferry to state-of-the-art hospital ship was completed at A & P Shipyard, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in March 2007. Her first field service took place that 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, 5 operating theatres, a four-bed recovery area, intensive care for up to 5 individuals, and 75 ward beds.

The Africa Mercy and her crew have had the privilege of partnering with 11 host nations during the ship’s lifespan. In 2023, she underwent an intensive refit in Durban, South Africa, to prepare her for many more years of service.

A few 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.

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Medical Training

Mercy Ships offers free training designed to empower healthcare workers and strengthen local healthcare systems. Instruction is specific to the unique needs of our host nation and planned in collaboration with the National Ministry of Health.

Learn More

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.

Learn More

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.

Learn More

Medical Training

Mercy Ships offers free training designed to empower healthcare workers and strengthen local healthcare systems. Instruction is specific to the unique needs of our host nation and planned in collaboration with the National Ministry of Health.

Learn More

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.

Learn More

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

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

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.

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Africa Service Center (ASC)

Rue Thann, Immeuble Sea View,

Appartement 3ème étage à droite,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Africa Service Center (ASC)

Rue Thann, Immeuble Sea View,

Appartement 3ème étage à droite,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Tel: +221782967104 /776447017

africa@mercyships.org

© 2024 – Mercy Ships

Terms and conditions

Contact Us
News
Press
Videos

Africa Service Center (ASC)

Rue Thann, Immeuble Sea View,

Appartement 3ème étage à droite,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Africa Service Center (ASC)

Rue Thann, Immeuble Sea View,

Appartement 3ème étage à droite,

Dakar, SENEGAL

Tel: +221782967104 /776447017
africa@mercyships.org

© 2023 – Mercy Ships

Terms and conditions