Global trade association Interferry and Mercy Ships today announced that Interferry will support Mercy Ships, an international charity with the mission to increase access to healthcare in developing nations through a fleet of hospital ships.
Interferry will highlight Mercy Ships at its annual conference in October and will further promote the charity to the association’s industry-wide membership.
“Mercy Ships bring free, quality medical care to the poorest nations of the world using their unique converted ferry Africa Mercy,” says Interferry CEO Mike Corrigan. “As the association representing the worldwide ferry industry, we want to lend a hand and bring more attention to the excellent work Mercy Ships performs around the globe.”
The largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world, Africa Mercy features include five operating theatres and 82 patient beds. Through 578 port visits in 70 nations, Mercy Ships have touched more than 2.71 million patients, including performing over 95,000 life-changing surgeries.
The partnership with Interferry will help enable the continued work of Africa Mercy through the endorsement of Mercy Ships to association members – more than 240 ferry operators and suppliers in 37 countries. The partnership will also raise awareness of much-needed maritime volunteer positions onboard Africa Mercy as part of a joint employee engagement program supported throughout the ferry industry.