Photo: Mercy Ships
Large ships are mostly associated with industrial operations, military activities, or simple travel and leisure. But the pioneering Global Mercy was the first one to be specifically built for becoming a floating hospital, aimed at those with little access to surgical care. This impressive hospital ship is ready to depart on its first mission.
Mercy Ships has supported local medical care throughout West and Central Africa for decades and will now have two hospital ships operating in the area. Africa Mercy, already operating, will be joined by the Global Mercy, the NGO’s first vessel to be built from scratch with the purpose of becoming a floating hospital.
This unique ship has docked in the Port of Rotterdam earlier this week, where it’s being outfitted for the major journey ahead. But there’s more – Global Mercy is also open for the public, for free in-person and virtual tours, plus special events. Over the next two weeks, those who want to explore this unique vessel will have the opportunity to participate in free, interactive tours and webinars, with a simple online registration.
Even those who can’t make it to Rotterdam have a chance to find out more about life onboard the Global Mercy, thanks to a virtual tour that’s available online, as well as several online activities related to the NGO’s work in Africa.
This ship with a noble purpose is certainly worth visiting. With a length of 570 feet (174 meters), it’s the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, equipped with six operating rooms, 200 beds, one laboratory, plus several clinics, including eye and dental ones. It has enough room for 950 people, when docked, and more than 600 of them are the crew members. All crew members are volunteer professionals from all over the world, and their main mission is to perform life-changing surgeries for those in need, while also providing medical training in Africa.
Together, Africa Mercy and Global Mercy will help volunteers conduct more than 5,000 surgeries and 28,000 dental treatments per year.
The new hospital ship will be open to the public until March 14. After that date, it will be headed towards Tenerife, for further outfitting, before arriving at its final destination in Senegal.
This unique ship has docked in the Port of Rotterdam earlier this week, where it’s being outfitted for the major journey ahead. But there’s more – Global Mercy is also open for the public, for free in-person and virtual tours, plus special events. Over the next two weeks, those who want to explore this unique vessel will have the opportunity to participate in free, interactive tours and webinars, with a simple online registration.
Even those who can’t make it to Rotterdam have a chance to find out more about life onboard the Global Mercy, thanks to a virtual tour that’s available online, as well as several online activities related to the NGO’s work in Africa.
This ship with a noble purpose is certainly worth visiting. With a length of 570 feet (174 meters), it’s the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, equipped with six operating rooms, 200 beds, one laboratory, plus several clinics, including eye and dental ones. It has enough room for 950 people, when docked, and more than 600 of them are the crew members. All crew members are volunteer professionals from all over the world, and their main mission is to perform life-changing surgeries for those in need, while also providing medical training in Africa.
Together, Africa Mercy and Global Mercy will help volunteers conduct more than 5,000 surgeries and 28,000 dental treatments per year.
The new hospital ship will be open to the public until March 14. After that date, it will be headed towards Tenerife, for further outfitting, before arriving at its final destination in Senegal.
Google News