Augsburg, Germany - May 4, 2010 -- Some 48,000 ships worldwide are powered by MAN Diesel & Turbo SE engines, either providing propulsion or serving as on-board power generators. Among them is the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, the Africa Mercy. The Augsburg-based manufacturer of large-bore diesel engines and turbomachinery is supplying Mercy Ships – a charitable organisation whose hospital ship provides free medical care in African coastal areas to those who otherwise couldn’t afford it – with four new 5L21/31 type on-board power generators on favourable terms. Thus MAN Diesel & Turbo grants a donation of around €350,000 for the benefit of the organisation.
The Africa Mercy is equipped to the same standard as a medium-sized hospital, with six operating theatres, modern X-ray and computer tomography equipment, a dental practice, a pharmacy, and more besides. There are also facilities for the approximately 400 voluntary crew members and their families, who often live on board for months at a time: recreation rooms, a large kitchen, a laundry, and a school for up to 60 children. All these amenities require a lot of electricity, which is produced on board by diesel-powered generators known as gensets.
Because the Africa Mercy is a converted Danish rail ferry, built in 1980, it had become essential to replace the on-board power generators in order to provide the vessel with a reliable supply of power and enable it to remain in service. From now on, the ship’s power supplies will be provided by four 5L21/31 type MAN engines, each with an output of 1,000 kW (1,360 hp). They will be mounted in such a way as to cause minimum vibration, as any vibration transmitted to the operating theatres could make the surgeons’ task more difficult. The engines are due to be installed when the vessel puts into port in South Africa as of September 2010.
“Some of the world’s poorest countries are situated on the African coast. Many people in these areas have no hope of receiving medical treatment, either because the medical infrastructure is not there or because it is only accessible to the few who can afford it. Mercy Ships does something remarkable by providing free assistance on its hospital ship in these very areas. We are delighted to support this vital initiative with our own diesel engines. It’s important to us to fulfil our social responsibility even in economically difficult times,” says Klaus Stahlmann, CEO of MAN Diesel & Turbo SE.
Don Stephens, founder and president of Mercy Ships, welcomed the donation: “We are delighted that MAN wants to support our work with the underprivileged in Africa. Thanks to this partnership and the new diesel generators from MAN Diesel & Turbo, Mercy Ships will be able to reduce its fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20% and also cut annual fuel costs substantially. The money we save will be used for the direct benefit of patients on board the Africa Mercy.”
The Africa Mercy is equipped to the same standard as a medium-sized hospital, with six operating theatres, modern X-ray and computer tomography equipment, a dental practice, a pharmacy, and more besides. There are also facilities for the approximately 400 voluntary crew members and their families, who often live on board for months at a time: recreation rooms, a large kitchen, a laundry, and a school for up to 60 children. All these amenities require a lot of electricity, which is produced on board by diesel-powered generators known as gensets.
Because the Africa Mercy is a converted Danish rail ferry, built in 1980, it had become essential to replace the on-board power generators in order to provide the vessel with a reliable supply of power and enable it to remain in service. From now on, the ship’s power supplies will be provided by four 5L21/31 type MAN engines, each with an output of 1,000 kW (1,360 hp). They will be mounted in such a way as to cause minimum vibration, as any vibration transmitted to the operating theatres could make the surgeons’ task more difficult. The engines are due to be installed when the vessel puts into port in South Africa as of September 2010.
“Some of the world’s poorest countries are situated on the African coast. Many people in these areas have no hope of receiving medical treatment, either because the medical infrastructure is not there or because it is only accessible to the few who can afford it. Mercy Ships does something remarkable by providing free assistance on its hospital ship in these very areas. We are delighted to support this vital initiative with our own diesel engines. It’s important to us to fulfil our social responsibility even in economically difficult times,” says Klaus Stahlmann, CEO of MAN Diesel & Turbo SE.
Don Stephens, founder and president of Mercy Ships, welcomed the donation: “We are delighted that MAN wants to support our work with the underprivileged in Africa. Thanks to this partnership and the new diesel generators from MAN Diesel & Turbo, Mercy Ships will be able to reduce its fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20% and also cut annual fuel costs substantially. The money we save will be used for the direct benefit of patients on board the Africa Mercy.”
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