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Hospital ships bringing life-changing care where needed most

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For millions of people, surgery is out of reach. For us, it is where hope begins.

A cleft lip, a cataract, a tumour, a badly healed burn. Conditions that a single operation could correct are instead carried for years, because there is no surgeon within reach.

  • +122.000 Surgical procedures since 1978
  • +566.930 Dental procedures
  • +2.88 million Direct beneficiaries

Right now, lives are being changed

Help Mercy Ships continue this mission

Your support brings hope and healing where it’s needed most.

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What Mercy Ships does

Mercy Ships operates hospital ships that dock in African port cities at the invitation of national governments. Volunteer crews provide surgery free of charge to the patients we serve, and train local healthcare professionals so that surgical capacity remains after the ship has sailed.

We have been doing this since 1978.

Mercy Ships - five quick facts

  • Free surgery since 1978 - surgical care provided at no cost to the patients we serve.
  • Two hospital ships - the Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy, each carrying a complete surgical hospital.
  • Built for the work - the Global Mercy is the world's largest civilian hospital ship, with six operating rooms and 200 patient beds.
  • Crewed by volunteers - around 200 different roles, filled by people from dozens of countries who are not paid for their service.
  • Invited, not imposed - every field service is agreed with a national government, and training local healthcare professionals is part of it.

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Right now, lives are being changed

From the coast of Africa, stories of hope set sail

What remains after the ship sails

Surgery on board treats individual patients. Training, mentoring and investment in local facilities is how a field service continues to matter once we have gone.

  • Local surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and dental professionals train and work alongside our volunteer crews.
  • Mentoring continues in local hospitals, where colleagues will keep practising long after we have moved on.
  • Partnerships are agreed with national health ministries and run across several years rather than a single visit.