Africa Mercy

Africa Mercy is the newest ship to enter service with Mercy Ships, who have been operating hospital ships serving developing nations since 1978. The M/V Africa Mercy entered active service in Liberia in June 2007. It is currently the largest civil floating hospital and even though Mercy Ships has now retired all their earlier ships this new vessel has a greater capacity than the 3 previous ships combined.

Development

The project started in March 1999. The former rail ferry named Dronning Ingrid (Queen Ingrid) was bought in Denmark. Slowly over the next few years the ship was turned into the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world at a final cost of over US$62 million.

The ship

The ship is 16,572 tons, 152 meters long and 23 meters wide.

Facilities

The M/V Africa Mercy is a floating hospital with 6 operating theatres, an ICU unit, laboratories, x-ray, and hospital beds for 78 patients. She has accommodation for 484 crew onboard, including families, couples and singles. The ship has 126 cabins, a school for all ages up to the last year of high school, a day care center, a library, a laundrette, starbucks cafe (donated by the company) and a small supermarket.

References

• Mercy Ships website