Sierra Leoneans Welcome Mercy Ship into Port of Freetown

In response to an invitation from the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, Mercy Ships program strategy has been carefully aligned with the country’s current five-year health care plan.



The Africa Mercy sails towards her home for the next
ten months in teh Port of Freetown, Sierra Leone.

This week marks the fifth time in 18 years that Freetown has welcomed a Mercy Ship; this time it is the Africa Mercy – the world’s largest non-governmental hospital ship. For the next ten months, Mercy Ships is offering its state-of-the-art hospital ship – with six operating theaters, lab, pharmacy, 78 beds, and an outpatient clinic – to partner alongside the Sierra Leonean government. The ship will provide free health care to the people of Sierra Leone and training for health care workers until November 2011.

In response to an invitation from the President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, Mercy Ships program strategy has been carefully aligned with the country’s current five-year health care plan.

Life-changing surgeries such as tumor removal, cleft lip and palate correction, cataract removal, orthopedics and plastics will be offered onboard the ship for individuals that qualify with these conditions. Potential patients have been encouraged to attend specific screening days to receive appointments for their specific medical needs. Advance teams have already conducted screenings in six locations upcountry, seeing more than 5,000 patients prior to the ship’s arrival.



Sierra Leone has made a significant effort to address health care concerns in their country, but still faces challenges. Last year, the nation implemented a free health care policy for pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under the age of five. This initiative is very positive, but the nation still ranks at the bottom of the 2010 United Nations Human Development Index (at 158 out of 169). The infant mortality rate in Sierra Leone is 123 per 1,000 births. And with only one dentist for every one million people in Sierra Leone, as compared to 6,000 dentists per million people in the U.S., Mercy Ships investment in the health sector is welcome.

The Mercy Ships Eye Team will partner with the Kissy Eye Clinic to screen and schedule qualified individuals for surgeries. Cataract surgeries are performed in a simple 15-minute procedure, restoring sight for hundreds of vision-impaired individuals. Last year, the Mercy Ships Eye Team performed 2,512 eye surgeries on 2,331 patients. In 2009, Mercy Ships trained six ophthalmologists from Benin, West Africa, in the cataract correction technique. After training, the surgeons increased the number of procedures in their local clinics from 320 surgeries per year to 2000 surgeries per year (combined).

A big welcome from the dock!

In partnership with other international organizations the Mercy Ship has been invited to provide training for local medical personnel who will add capacity long after the ship leaves. The training/mentoring programs will include, but are not limited to, surgeons, nurses, biomedical technicians, hospital leadership, and lab technicians. In addition, agriculture specialists onboard ship will be involved with training of local partners who will in turn train farmers in aspects of sustainable, organic farming techniques to increase nutrition.

Since 1978, Mercy Ships has mobilized people and resources worldwide to provide free health care and sustainable development in the developing world. Each year volunteers from over 40 nations bring their own unique skill sets onboard the Africa Mercy. Positions include physicians, medical personnel, engineers, maritime crew, galley cooks, hospitality workers and teachers. All professional volunteers pay their own airfare as well room and board for the privilege of serving in Sierra Leone, helping to keep the provision of services free to the recipients.

Please click here to view a video of Medical Screening at the 2010 Togo Field Service, the Mercy Ship’s previous port of service.

Sierra Leone Bound!

Smooth sailing for the Africa Mercy as she navigates her way 
to open seas as she departs Durban, South Africa.

Jim Paterson, Senior Vice President of Operations, reports that the Africa Mercy departed Durban on February 10th bound for Freetown, Sierra Leone via Cape Town.

Although the project encountered some delays the end result was everything we hoped for. After some initial settling in adjustments during the first 12 hour period the vessel performed very well indeed during the three day trip from Durban to Cape Town.

Mercy Ships is very grateful to all who participated on this large project – Southern African Shipyards and Controlmatic Gmbh as the major contractors as well as many sub contractors and suppliers many of whom gave special pricing for this project.


We are very proud of our four new MAN 5L21/31 generator sets and expect them to give many years of reliable service as well as a significant savings on fuel costs.



Once again, thank you to the many volunteers who contributed to the project over the last five and a half months, without each one of them the project would have been that more difficult and expensive.

When the Africa Mercy arrives in Freetown towards the end of February, the ship and her crew of volunteers will continue on its mission to bring hope and healing to the people of this West African nation.



The Africa Mercy leaves the sanctuary of Cape Town's Victoria and Albert
Waterfront continuing on her voyage to Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Nearing Completion Of The Project

In an update from the shipyard in Durban, South Africa, Jim Paterson, Senior Vice President of Operations, said that the Power the Vision project is coming close to a successful completion. 

All 4 new generator sets have been tested to full load capacity and finally testing and adjustments on the electrical distribution switchboard are currently under way.

“The Shipyard is working on the last details of piping and deck plating and all other systems are being brought on line.” Paterson said. “The new air conditioning system is now up and running.”

“The Main Engine Control system is undergoing final checks prior to starting engines for testing on Thursday.”

He added “We are still planning on departing Durban on schedule bound for Freetown, Sierra Leone.”

He personally thanked the many volunteers who labored hard on this project to bring it to completion.

Watch a time lapse video where the Africa Mercy's drydock is filled with water as she moves berths to continue maintenance work.

Rigorous Testing To Start Soon

According to Project Manager Ken Berry, work is rapidly progressing toward the goal of starting the first generator set during the 3rd week of January. Shipyard and subcontractor crews are working in very tight quarters to finish up the piping systems and electrical wiring necessary to begin the testing phase.



Some members of the very hardworking team of volunteers
who are lending their skills to complete this important project.

With such a complicated system, a rigorous testing program will begin with the start of the first gen set engine and will finish with all the gen sets tuned to the new system and each other to obtain maximum performance and efficiency.

Ken concludes that "The shipboard crew are holding up well in spite of the summer heat of Durban.  Everyone is looking forward to when the generator sets are running and stable enough to allow the air condition systems to be commissioned and run on a regular basis.

We have had a super team of volunteers this year and the quantity and quality of work accomplished stands as testimony to their expertise and dedication. I could not have asked for more from this wonderful group and only hope they have been as blessed by their labor of love, as I have been."

Setting A Brisk Pace!

Ken Berry, Project Manager reports from Durban that the work onboard the Africa Mercy continues at a brisk pace by the two main contractors and 8 or their subcontractors, all of whom are busy with piping, electrical and support systems.

The two Generator Rooms and the Main Switchboard Room are crowded with electricians, pipe fitters, welders, fire watchmen and cleaners.

Strength and tightness testing of tanks and piping systems has commenced on the portions of these systems that are now completed.

A big push is on to complete major system installation work by Christmas Day, in order that system commissioning can begin Christmas week.

As soon as all support systems are checked out and proven to be reliable, the new Generators can be started up and run thru their paces.

We are anxiously awaiting that day!  

Shipyard Work Continues

Work on connecting the new MAN Generators and CARRIER Chiller units continue onboard the Africa Mercy. The ship has now left drydock in is docked inside the shipyard.

Carrier Chiller unit in place ready to be wired up.

Genset in place and being hooked up. Deck plates going back in.

Cabling being run and getting in place to hook up.

photos Chuck Dodgen

Putting It All Together.

Special projects team members continue working on projects aboard the Africa Mercy in dry dock in Durban, South Africa.

Special project crew member, Arie Roest, works on
the electrical system for the control panels.



One of the two new Carrier air conditioning units being installed



Work has started putting down framing for the deck plating.

Note the steps that have been attached to the generator foundation



Controlmatic has mounted the control boxes for the generators in
preparation for wiring the system together. One of the gensets is visible in
the background and the box in the foreground



Shipyard workers continue readying more pipe for the project.

Photos courtesy of Mercy Ships and Chuck Dodgen.

Cabling Trays Being Mounted

Work is progressing on the wiring, cabling and reconnecting of the newly installed MAN Generator units onboard the Africa Mercy.

Cabling trays being mounted for the wiring of the units.

photos courtesy of Chuck Dodgen.

The Work Continues...

The four new MAN generators are now in position and being hooked up to fuel pipes, exhaust pipes and cables. Below is a shock absorber, on which the generator sits, which will help to reduce vibrations and noise. These shock absorbers are critical to absorb vibrations to ensure a quiet surround in the hospital and surgery suites.

Below, one of the two new Carrier air conditioning units, and (in the background) the hole in the ship's side through which they came.

Below, the smoke stack slowly changing shape, as six old exhaust pipes have been removed...

...(old exhaust pipes on the dock waiting to be taken away for scrap)...

...to be replaced by four new exhaust pipes for the four new generators.

Below, all these pipes and valves have to go back into the ship and be reconnected in the right order, to carry diesel fuel, heavy fuel, fresh water, salt water etc etc.

And so the work continues. Good luck shipyard workers and Africa Mercy crew!

Photos and text Olly Peet

Reaching The Midway Point

Ken Berry, Project Manager reports from Durban that the Generator Replacement Project has reached its midway point with the new generator sets and associated equipment safely installed onboard and the hole in the side of the ship welded up. The Technical crews are busy reinstalling the existing piping and equipment that had to be temporarily removed to allow the shifting of the new generator sets from the hole in the hull to their proper resting places in the Forward and Aft Generator rooms. New piping systems, racks for the new power cables and new exhaust lines are starting to be installed. The existing Main Switchboard is being upgraded to accept the new generators and includes an up-to-date Power Management System, that will simplify operating the system and provide a more secure power source to critical areas of the ship, especially the hospital.

Another project that has reached its midway point is the installation of the new Main Engine Control System. Literally four miles (6 KM) of signal cabling is currently being installed to connect all the Main Engines to the new control gear located on the Bridge and in the Control Room. The ‘cable pulling’ team is made up primarily of Dutch Electricians and Technicians, who assembled onboard the Africa Mercy to tackle the installation of this extensive system that requires a large range of technical disciplines to successfully install. Other project work is ongoing in the Hospital, galley, pool and other areas around the ship, to make the ship more accommodating for the crew and more effective as a tool of service to our patients while in Field Service.

Connecting the Generators

All the new generators are now in place onboard the Africa Mercy and in the process of being connected to the various systems and controls.



Covered in a tarpaulin for protection, one of the new
generators sits in place waiting to be connected.

Photo courtesy of Chuck Dodgen

Closing The Hole In The Hull

With all the generator sets safely onboard, a welding team
welded the entry hole in the hull of the Africa Mercy shut.

All The Generators Are Now Onboard

The new MAN generators are now inside the Africa Mercy, although not positioned or welded down yet.


The new generators being craned onto the loading platform



Ready to be moved into the Africa Mercy

 

One of the new MAN generators, starboard side in
old Frichs generator room, waiting to be installed 


(photos courtesy of Africa Mercy crew members Chuck Dodgen and Olly Peet.)

Preparing The MAN Generators For Installation

Justin Ray, Project Engineer and Ken Berry, Project Manager, uncover
one of the new MAN Generators to prepare it for installation.

Ken Berry, Project Manager

Strengthening The Deck

In preparation for the installation of the new generators, work is being done to reinforce the tank tops, ready for the arrival of the 10 ton bases.

 One of the bases shortly before it was lifted into the ship.

(photos courtesy of Africa Mercy crew member Olly Peet.)

The First Of The MAN Generators Is Onboard!

The first of four new 5L21/31 type MAN generators are brough onboard the Africa Mercy!

Removing The Old Generators

 

Africa Mercy Generator Project Update



The Africa Mercy enters dry-dock in Durban, South Africa.

 Mercy Ships state-of-the-art hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, has recently entered dry-dock in Durban, South Africa. Built in 1980, it had become essential to replace the onboard power generators in order to provide the vessel with a reliable supply of power and enable it to remain in service. The ship is receiving four 5L21/31 type MAN engines, each with an output of 1,000 kW (1,360 hp). The new generators 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 Africa Mercy entered dry-dock on Saturday, September 25^th. Approximately 40 shipyard employees are working on the ship. Senior VP of International Operations, Jim Paterson, believes the project timeline is on track. “The shipyard is confident that we are on schedule for our completion date.”

At this stage in the project, the workers have cut a hole in the side of the ship and removed the old generators: four Frichs diesel generators and two B&W Alpha diesel generators. Currently, the foundations are being prepared before the workers lift the new generators into the ship.



The remains of one of the harbor generators being

removed from the Africa Mercy. It was moved

inch by inch onto a platform outside the hull,

and lifted onto a waiting truck by the shore crane.



Other than the project manager and project supervisors, the Africa Mercy crew is not working directly on the generator project. They are, however, providing ample support for the ship yard during the project. There are roughly 80 Mercy Ships crew members still living on the ship working simultaneously on other projects. The ship being in the ship yard created an opportunity for the crew to repair areas that cannot normally be worked on when the hospital is in use. Projects include replacing the Main Engine Control System, doing a Main engine overhaul and painting in the dining room. There are also some hospital modifications being done.

When the project is complete, Mercy Ships will be able to reduce its fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 20%. It will serve as a substantial cut of annual fuel costs. Founder Don Stephens is pleased with the amount of money that will be saved, and ensures those savings will directly benefit patients onboard the Africa Mercy in the future.

Preperation and Removal of Existing Generators

The Africa Mercy entering the dry dock in the port of Durban, South Africa.



Below decks, the deck plates have been removed around the Frichs
and Harbour generators to prepare them to be removed from the ship.



The Frichs generators, still in position, and beyond the hole cut in the port side
of the hull  for the removal of the generators.



The two Harbour generators having been transported into the ballast tank
besides the harbour generator room, waiting to be removed from the ship.



The hole cut in the port side of the hull of the Africa Mercy to remove the
old generators. You can see the Frichs generators inside waiting to be removed.



The remains of one of the harbour generators being removed from the Africa Mercy
over the weekend. It was moved inch by inch onto a platform outside the hull, and
lifted onto a waiting truck by the shore crane.



One of the four new MAN generators waiting to be installed.



The empty Frichs generator room, facing to the starboard side. That green
square on the floor is the incinerator, waiting to be returned to its correct place.