Danica is proud to have supplied its first seafarer to Mercy Ships, an international development organisation which deploys hospital ships to some of the poorest countries in the world, delivering vital, free healthcare to people in desperate need.
And in an interesting twist, the vessel is one on which Danica Managing Director Henrik Jensen served in his early seafaring career!
Danica has supplied two engine room crew to the Mercy Ships’ vessel Africa Mercy. The seafarers will complete a four month posting while the vessel is operating in West Africa.
The Malta-flagged,16,572 ton Africa Mercy is the largest charity-run hospital ship in the world, containing five operating rooms, a four-bed recovery area, intensive care for up to five patients, and 80 ward beds. The vessel houses about 400 volunteer crew members from up to 40 nations.
Acquired in 1999 through a donation from the Balcraig Foundation, the former Danish rail ferry Dronning Ingrid was refurbished specifically for our mission and named the Africa Mercy in April 2000.
Mr Jensen was chief officer on Dronning Ingrid in 1992 when it was a rail ferry in Denmark. He commented: “What a small world it is! It is a privilege to supply crew to a vessel which is carrying out such vital humanitarian work and a pleasure to see this old friend still enjoying a useful life.”
