Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships

Logo of Mercy Ships
Formation	1978
Founder	Donald & Deyon Stephens
Type	Charitable organization
Purpose	To provide free surgical care and improve surgical delivery systems in the poorest nations
Headquarters	Garden Valley, Texas
Region	West and Central Africa
Services	Surgery, Healthcare, Development
Chairman	Gary Brown
Volunteers	c. 3,000 annually
Website	www.mercyships.org

Mercy Ships is an international charity based on Christian values that operates the largest non-governmental hospital ships in the world,^[1] providing hope and healing in Africa through surgical care and surgical education, community development projects, community health education, mental health programs, agriculture projects, and palliative care for terminally ill patients. Its headquarters are in Garden Valley, Texas.

Mercy Ships has visited more than 55 developing nations and 18 developed nations around the world,^[2] with a focus on the countries of Africa for the past 30 years.^[3] The organization currently operates a two-ship fleet consisting of the Global Mercy and the Africa Mercy. In 2024, Mercy Ships announced its plans to expand its fleet with a new, purpose-built vessel, to be built in collaboration with partners MSC Group and MSC Foundation. The new ship will have a hospital over two decks with six operating rooms, a laboratory, and training facilities. The ship will accommodate around 600 crew, patients and guests on board.