Mercy Ships has revealed that the shipping industry raised $791,000 for its Cargo Day 2021, taking the total amount over six years to $4.7m.
About 80 companies rallied behind the African hospital ship charity, with 26 pledges of between $1,000 and $10,000, nine of $10,000 to $25,000 and six of $25,000-plus.
A further 76 Mercy Cargoes were given and six address commissions, as charterers, shipowners, brokers, port agents and other companies participated. Mercy Cargoes are where charterers allocate shipments to brokers who contribute 50% of their commission.
Mercy Ships operates the world’s largest civilian hospital vessel, the 16,572-gt Africa Mercy, which will be joined this year by the much larger, purpose-built 37,000-gt Global Mercy.
Names of all companies that participated in Cargo Day 2021, along with their company logos, were published in the Friday 21 January edition of TradeWinds, one of Cargo Day’s partners.
The Global Mercy, which is undergoing outfitting at the Port of Antwerp, will more than double the charity’s ability to provide free surgical and medical care to thousands of people in sub-Saharan Africa when it enters service this year.
It will have six operating theatres, six hospital wards, radiology, screening, rehab and outpatient care.
Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has been active in more than 55 developing countries, providing services valued at more than $1.7bn and directly benefiting more than 2.8m people.
The capital cost of the newbuilding was raised largely from private and corporate donors, but millions of dollars are needed to provide medical services and operate the ships.
