Recently, China Shipbuilding Guangzhou Shipbuilding International Co., Ltd., China Shipbuilding Industry Trading Co., Ltd. and Mercy Ships International, an international charitable organization, signed a contract for the construction of a hospital ship. It is understood that the ship is mainly donated by the MSC (Mediterranean Shipping) Foundation, and after completion and delivery, it will be operated by Mercy Ships, which will be mainly used to provide medical services for developing countries such as the African region, and support its medical professionals to develop health care systems.
The hospital ship has a total length of 174.1 meters, a width of 28.6 meters, a structural draft of 6.4 meters, a service speed of 12 knots, and a capacity of 500 passengers, including 950 people in port. The ship integrates the functions of passenger life, hospital medical care, and school education, and is a high-standard passenger ship with an international standard hospital. The hospital part is the key functional area of the ship, which is mainly composed of laboratory, general outpatient clinic, ophthalmology outpatient clinic, dental outpatient clinic, CT scanning room, rehabilitation room, operating room, pharmacy, ICU ward, inpatient department, nursing station, training center, etc. Other function rooms include a restaurant, café, shop, library, cinema, outdoor swimming pool, etc., and it can be said that the ship is a fully functional "boat of love" with light and hope.
A 16,000 TEU container ship built by Guangzhou Shipyard International for MSC Group
Guangzhou Shipyard International and Mediterranean Shipping Group have a good foundation for cooperation, and the two sides signed contracts for the construction of 8 16,000TEU container ships and 4 luxury Ro-Ro passenger ships in 2021 and 2022. Based on the full trust of both parties, MSC and Mercy Ships preferred Guangzhou Shipyard International as the builder of the hospital vessel.
Guangzhou Shipyard International also has rich experience in the construction of hospital ships, and its "Peace Ark", a professional large hospital ship specially tailored for maritime medical rescue, is the world's first large-scale professional hospital ship with a capacity of over 10,000 tons, and has been awarded the honorary title of "Model of the Times".
It is understood that Mercy Ships is a faith-based global organization, run by charitable donors and volunteers, and has been providing world-class surgical treatment to those in need at no cost for more than 40 years. Currently, Mercy Ships' fleet operates two hospital vessels – the Africa Mercy (built in 1980) and the Global Mercy (built in 2021).
As early as 2013, Mercy Ships ordered a 37,000 gross ton hospital ship "Global Mercy", which was built by Tianjin Xingang Shipbuilding Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. (now Tianjin Shipbuilding Industry) and delivered for operation in 2021.
The "Global Mercy" is currently the world's largest and most advanced civilian hospital ship, and has been selected as the "World Famous Ship of the Year" by the internationally renowned ship magazine Maritime Reporter & Engineering News. The ship has a total length of 174.1 meters, a width of 28.6 meters, a design draft of 6.15 meters, a design clearance height of 41 meters above the waterline, a service speed of 12 knots, and the comfort and safety standards are built in accordance with the standards of luxury cruise ships. There are 12 decks with 6 operating theatres, 200 beds, laboratories, eye clinics and dental clinics. Sail around the world, providing free charity medical care and professional training to the world's poorest regions.