Mercy Ships
International Christian charity operating hospital ships that provide free surgical care, medical training, and community-health programs.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
Mercy Ships is an international charitable nongovernmental organization that operates hospital ships to provide free medical and surgical services in countries with limited access to specialist healthcare. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, the organization began as the maritime arm of Youth with a Mission and later became an independent organization in 2003. Its work is rooted in Christian faith and is described by the organization as bringing hope and healing to people living in poverty while following the example of Jesus. Patients are treated without charge and without regard to religion, race, or gender. The organization historically converted retired passenger liners and ferries into floating hospitals. Its first major vessel was the MV Anastasis, acquired in 1978 and converted for medical work before beginning operations in the early 1980s. Mercy Ships subsequently operated smaller vessels, including the Good Samaritan, later renamed Island Mercy, and the Caribbean Mercy. These ships delivered medical and dental services across the Caribbean, Central America, South America, the South Pacific, and parts of West Africa. The Anastasis served in Africa until 2007, when the larger Africa Mercy assumed its role. The Africa Mercy was created from the former Danish rail ferry Dronning Ingrid. After an extensive conversion, it became a purpose-equipped hospital ship with operating theatres, wards, accommodation, and support facilities for international volunteers. It has carried out extended field services in countries including Liberia, Benin, Togo, Senegal, Madagascar, Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo. A typical deployment lasts several months and is arranged with the host government. In addition to surgery, Mercy Ships teams support local hospitals, train healthcare professionals, improve infrastructure, deliver community-health education, and undertake projects involving water, sanitation, agriculture, mental health, and palliative care. In 2021, Mercy Ships added the Global Mercy, its first purpose-built hospital ship, developed in partnership with Stena RoRo. At approximately 174 metres long, it is described as the largest civilian hospital ship in the world. The vessel has six operating theatres, approximately 200 hospital beds, and facilities for rehabilitation and training. It began field-service operations in Africa in 2023, including deployments to Senegal and Sierra Leone. As described in the supplied reference material, the organization’s fleet in 2026 consists of the Africa Mercy and Global Mercy, with the former serving Madagascar and the latter based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, during their respective field programs. Mercy Ships relies primarily on donations and volunteer labor. Its crews include medical professionals, maritime workers, teachers, cooks, engineers, administrators, tradespeople, communications staff, and other specialists. Volunteers come from many countries, while local day crews support ship operations in port. The ships function as both medical facilities and temporary communities, with accommodation, education, childcare, dining, recreation, and logistical services for crew members. The organization’s public identity combines humanitarian medicine, maritime logistics, professional training, and Christian missionary activity. Supporters emphasize its free specialist surgery and long-term capacity-building partnerships. Academic and journalistic discussions have also examined the relationship between its medical work and its evangelical objectives, including criticism that humanitarian activity can serve as a vehicle for spreading Christianity. Mercy Ships states that its clinical services are offered to all eligible patients regardless of faith or background.
History
Mercy Ships was established in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens in Lausanne, Switzerland, motivated by their Christian faith. It initially operated as the maritime division of Youth with a Mission. The founders’ concept was to use ships as mobile hospitals capable of reaching populations that lacked specialist medical facilities and could not afford conventional treatment. The organization’s first major vessel was the former Italian cruise ship Victoria, purchased from a scrap yard in Greece in 1978. It was converted into a hospital ship and renamed MV Anastasis, a Greek word associated with resurrection. After preparation, the ship began operations in the South Pacific in 1983, later serving Central America and the Caribbean before moving to Africa in 1991. The vessel remained in African service until 2007. Don and Deyon Stephens lived aboard the ship with their four children for an extended period during the organization’s early development, reflecting the communal and missionary character of the operation. Mercy Ships expanded its fleet during the 1980s and 1990s. The Canadian coastal ferry Petite Forte was donated in 1983 and initially operated as MV Good Samaritan. It served the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, was renamed Island Mercy in 1994, and later moved to the South Pacific. Its activities included medical and relief work in locations such as Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Guinea-Bissau, Western Samoa, Tokelau, and New Zealand. The Norwegian coastal ferry Polarlys was acquired in 1994 and converted into Caribbean Mercy. That vessel supported medical, dental, orthopedic, and eye-care work in Central American and Caribbean ports until 2005. In 1999, Mercy Ships acquired the Danish rail ferry Dronning Ingrid as a successor to Anastasis. A major conversion created Africa Mercy, a hospital ship of approximately 16,500 tons. After completion in England, Africa Mercy made its official maiden voyage to Monrovia, Liberia, in 2007. Its work combined free operations for patients with longer-term cooperation with ministries of health, hospitals, and community organizations. In Liberia, Benin, Togo, Senegal, Guinea, Madagascar, and other countries, programs included surgery, dentistry, cataract treatment, obstetric fistula repair, cleft-lip and palate surgery, orthopedic procedures, burn treatment, preventive health education, water and sanitation projects, and professional training. Mercy Ships became a standalone organization in 2003. Its field model generally requires an invitation from a host government and involves a deployment lasting several months, followed by maintenance, resupply, or refitting. The organization’s teams work both aboard ship and on land. Training programs have covered nursing, anesthesia, infection control, surgery, trauma care, newborn resuscitation, midwifery, palliative care, and community-health practice. Partnerships have also addressed hospital administration, patient records, buildings, and local service capacity. In 2021, the organization received Global Mercy, constructed in partnership with Stena RoRo. Unlike earlier converted vessels, Global Mercy was purpose-built as a hospital ship. It is approximately 174 metres long and includes six operating theatres, around 200 beds, rehabilitation facilities, and extensive accommodation and training areas. It began field-service operations in Dakar in 2023 and subsequently served Sierra Leone. Africa Mercy continued its own programs, including a return to Senegal in 2022 and a Madagascar deployment beginning in 2024 after refit and maintenance. By 2026, Mercy Ships operated a two-ship fleet consisting of Africa Mercy and Global Mercy. Its work remained concentrated in Africa, while the organization maintained offices in multiple countries and recruited international volunteers for medical, maritime, technical, educational, and administrative roles. Funding came primarily from donations. In 2024, Mercy Ships announced plans to expand its fleet with another purpose-built vessel. The organization’s history is inseparable from its religious identity. Mercy Ships presents its clinical work as an expression of Christian service and conducts evangelical activities in host communities. Although treatment is stated to be free and nondiscriminatory, observers have debated whether the humanitarian model also advances a missionary objective. This tension forms an important part of the organization’s public and academic context.
- 2024
Fleet expansion is announced
[1]Mercy Ships announces plans for an additional purpose-built vessel.
- 2023
Global Mercy begins field service
[1]Global Mercy starts surgical operations in Dakar, Senegal, and later serves Sierra Leone.
- 2021
Global Mercy joins the fleet
[1]The organization receives its first purpose-built hospital ship.
- 2011
Sierra Leone health agreement
[1]Mercy Ships enters a partnership with Sierra Leone to support hospitals, surgical services, records, and infrastructure.
- 2007
Africa Mercy begins African service
[1]Africa Mercy starts its operational career in Liberia and becomes the organization’s principal African hospital vessel.
- 2003
Organization becomes independent
[1]Mercy Ships separates from Youth with a Mission and operates as an independent organization.
- 1994
Caribbean Mercy and Island Mercy expand the fleet
[1]Mercy Ships adds the converted Caribbean Mercy and renames Good Samaritan as Island Mercy.
- 1983
First major field operations begin
[1]Anastasis begins service in the South Pacific before later moving to Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
- 1982
Anastasis enters hospital-ship service
[1]The former cruise ship Victoria is converted into the hospital ship MV Anastasis.
- 1978
Mercy Ships is founded
[1]Don and Deyon Stephens establish the organization in Switzerland as the maritime arm of Youth with a Mission.
Products and positioning
A faith-based humanitarian medical organization that combines hospital-ship deployment with free specialist surgery, healthcare training, and community development in underserved regions.
Hospital ship · 2007
Africa Mercy
Africa Mercy is a former Danish rail ferry converted into a hospital ship. It provides free surgery, dental and ophthalmic treatment, obstetric fistula repair, orthopedic care, training, and community-health programs during extended African field services. The ship also carries accommodation and operational facilities for international volunteers and supports land-based vehicles and partnerships with local hospitals.
Hospital ship · 2021
Global Mercy
Global Mercy is Mercy Ships’ first purpose-built hospital ship and is approximately 174 metres long. It has six operating theatres, about 200 hospital beds, rehabilitation facilities, and spaces for training and crew support. The vessel began field service in Africa in 2023 and is designed to combine direct surgery with professional education and healthcare-system strengthening.
Former hospital ship · 1982
MV Anastasis
Anastasis was the organization’s first major hospital ship, converted from the former cruise liner Victoria. It began service in the South Pacific, later operated in Central America and the Caribbean, and moved to Africa in 1991. The vessel remained in service until 2007, when Africa Mercy took over its African role.
Former hospital ship · 1994
Caribbean Mercy
Caribbean Mercy was converted from the Norwegian ferry Polarlys and served ports in Central America and the Caribbean. It supported eye surgery, dental care, orthopedic services, and other medical programs, with volunteers also undertaking land-based healthcare work. The vessel remained in service until 2005.
Former hospital and relief ship · 1983
Island Mercy
Island Mercy was originally the donated Canadian ferry Petite Forte, operated by Mercy Ships as Good Samaritan before being renamed in 1994. It served the Caribbean and Central and South America, then moved to the South Pacific. Its work included medical care and relief operations in several island and coastal communities before leaving the Mercy Ships fleet in 2001.
Controversies
Debate over humanitarian and evangelical objectives
Mercy Ships’ Christian missionary identity has prompted criticism and academic discussion concerning whether medical and development work also functions as a means of spreading Christianity. The organization presents its services as Christian ministry while stating that patients receive treatment without regard to religion.
Brand decisions
2024
Plan further fleet expansionStrategyBackground
The organization’s two-ship model supports extended field services but requires vessels to rotate through maintenance and refit periods.
Action taken
Mercy Ships announced plans to expand its fleet with another purpose-built vessel.
Aftermath
The supplied sources do not provide a confirmed delivery date, vessel specification, or financing details.
2021
Add the purpose-built Global MercyProduct launchBackground
Mercy Ships historically relied mainly on converted passenger and ferry vessels.
Action taken
The organization accepted Global Mercy, constructed in partnership with Stena RoRo, as its first purpose-built hospital ship.
Aftermath
Global Mercy began African field service in 2023 and expanded the organization’s surgical and training capacity.
2003
Operate as an independent organizationStrategyBackground
Mercy Ships had historically been part of the Youth with a Mission family of ministries.
Action taken
The organization separated from Youth with a Mission and established itself as a standalone charity.
Aftermath
Mercy Ships continued developing its own fleet, fundraising structure, partnerships, and international offices.
1999
Acquire and convert Dronning Ingrid into Africa MercyGeneration changeBackground
The older Anastasis required a larger successor capable of supporting expanded medical operations in Africa.
Action taken
Mercy Ships acquired the Danish rail ferry Dronning Ingrid and began a major conversion into Africa Mercy.
Aftermath
Africa Mercy entered service in 2007 and became the organization’s principal African hospital ship.
Recent events
- 2024
Mercy Ships announces plans for another purpose-built vessel[1]
Product launch
The organization announced plans to expand its fleet with an additional purpose-built hospital ship.
- 2023
Global Mercy begins African surgical field service[1]
Product launch · Other
Global Mercy began its first surgical field service in Dakar, Senegal, and later continued operations in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
- 2021
Global Mercy joins the fleet[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The first purpose-built Mercy Ships hospital vessel entered the fleet after construction and outfitting in partnership with Stena RoRo.
- 2011
Mercy Ships signs a health partnership agreement with Sierra Leone[1]
Other
The organization entered a formal partnership focused on improving hospital services, surgical capacity, records, buildings, and infrastructure.
- 2007
Africa Mercy begins official maiden voyage[1]
Product launch · Other
The converted hospital ship Africa Mercy began its operational service in Liberia, replacing the older Anastasis as the organization’s principal African hospital ship.
- 2003
Mercy Ships becomes an independent organization[1]
Other
Mercy Ships separated from the Youth with a Mission family and began operating as an independent charitable organization.
Sources1 sources
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