The New
Global Mercy®
Introducing our first purpose-built hospital ship, capable of more than doubling our ability to save and transform lives.
Built from the Ground Up
Based on feedback from our volunteer crew and decades of experience in the field, the Global Mercy is designed to meet the unique needs of our patients and is equipped with world class medical technology. More than 150,000 lives are estimated to be transformed through surgery alone during the ship’s life-span, and thousands of local doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel will be trained in the places we serve.
Select your journey and explore the different parts of our ship!
![](https://www.mercyships.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/img-patient-1-gangway-1.jpg")
The Gangway
Patients come aboard to have their lives transformed by our first purpose-built hospital ship.
The Screening Room
The admissions and screening room is the first stop potential patients make onboard our ship. There, volunteers assess patients to ensure they are a candidate for surgery.
Hospital Wards
Patients spend a lot of time in the ship’s 4 hospital wards, where dedicated nursing staff assist in all pre-operative, post-operative, and follow-up care. The hospital wards onboard the Global Mercy will help more than double our ability to provide world-class care to patients in need.
Radiology Room
The radiology room brings our patients the latest in world-class X-ray and CT scan/MRI technology, giving doctors the best insight into their condition. Currently there are only 84 MRI units serving a population of over 300 million people in West Africa, making the Global Mercy a vital solution for the region.
Operating Rooms
Our new ship has 6 operating rooms where our volunteer doctors will transform lives through reconstructive surgery, tumor removal, cleft lip repair, orthopedic surgery, cataract removal, and more.
Patient Capacity
The Global Mercy hosts 102 acute care beds, 7 ICU/isolation beds, and an additional 90 self-care beds. The hospital area covers approximately 7,000 meters and includes dedicated classroom/conference spaces as well as simulator labs for more effective training.
Gangway
The gangway to the Global Mercy is a bridge to hope and healing. Come aboard and explore our purpose-built hospital ship as our volunteers do.
Screening Room
The screening and admissions room is where patients meet with volunteer doctors to have their conditions assessed to ensure they are a candidate for surgery.
Hospital Wards
Our dedicated volunteer nursing staff spends a lot of time in the ship’s 4 hospital wards, where all pre-operative, post-operative and follow-up care can be provided onboard.
Radiology Room
The radiology room brings our patients the latest in world-class X-ray and CT scan/MRI technology, giving doctors the best insight into their condition. Currently there are only 84 MRI units serving a population of over 300 million people in West Africa, making the Global Mercy a vital solution for the region.
Operating Rooms
Our new ship has 6 operating rooms where our volunteer doctors will transform lives through reconstructive surgery, tumor removal, cleft lip repair, orthopedic surgery, cataract removal, and more.
Engine Room
The engine room is more than boiling engines. It’s the heart that powers the Global Mercy and our lifesaving mission. Our technical crew is essential to running the ship.
The Auditorium and Academy
Our hospital ship is like a small city, complete with young families and children. To meet their needs, the Global Mercy has a school onboard equipped to educate 125 students from Kindergarten to 12th grade.
The Simulation lab
Volunteers use virtual and augmented reality to simulate medical conditions to teach local healthcare professionals how to meet the needs of their communities. Volunteer IT and bio-med professionals are key to maintaining this important department.
Dining Hall
Our dining area is designed to serve up to 950 people per day. Volunteer chefs create healthy meals for patients and crew. As crewmembers gather for meals, a true community is built. (Most popular dish? Chicken fajitas.)
Crew Amenities
The ship offers volunteers the amenities needed to foster a multi-cultural community, including a chapel, a library, plus a gym and pool to stay fit during their time onboard.
Crew Capacity
The Global Mercy can house 641 crewmembers, including medical, technical, IT, maritime, and non-technical volunteers — plus families. Our volunteers cover their own expenses, allowing donations from our supporters to go further.
Select your journey and explore the different parts of our ship!
Built to serve
Our mission is fueled by the time, talent, and hearts of more than 1,200 volunteers from over 60 nations and from all ages and walks of life. Our volunteers create a caring community of people with shared purpose — transforming the lives of others, while experiencing change in their own lives.
While in port, local professionals are recruited from the countries we serve to help deliver hope and healing onboard. Our patients and programs benefit from the experience of these unsung heroes, known as our Day Crew. Some even go on to join our crew full time.
With the launch of the Global Mercy, the need for a wide range of volunteers has doubled — from medical professionals to teachers to IT technicians and more.
-Meggin Tallman, USA Volunteer Ward Nurse
Built with Vision
We leave transformation in our wake.
Built to Heal
The Global Mercy will more than double our surgical and training ability and is designed
to carry out world-class, transformative medical care.
- Surgical
Procedures - Medical
Training - Dental
Care - Eye
Care - Women's
Health - Agriculture
and Nutrition
The Build
The creation of the Global Mercy began with 16 months of detailed design work based on prior operating experience and crew feedback.
In 2017 construction of the Global Mercy began, completely funded by the donations of generous supporters. The ship was built debt-free.
During construction, over 37,000 gross tons of steel, ship material, and medical equipment were used to create the Global Mercy, which now measures 28.6 m wide and 174 m long.
The Global Mercy was built with sustainability in mind. AC condensation is filtered for technical use, reducing potable water use by 50%, and high-efficiency systems reduce energy consumption by 15%.
During sea trials in April of 2021, the ship was tested for her capabilities including maneuvers and turns. She passed her final test with flying colors.
After sea trials, the Global Mercy set sail for Europe where the hospital will be equipped for her first mission – serving the people of Senegal in 2022.
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