Africa Mercy 12Dec06 - Mar07

UK
Newcastle

The Africa Mercy ship is currently located at the A&P Tyne shipyards in Newcastle UK, where I am doing volunteer work to help get the ship up and running so we can get it to Africa to start field service as soon as possible. I am working in the role of electronics/electrican, and am learning a lot about the way things are done in the marine industry.
The ship was previously a Danish rail ferry and has been converted to a hospital ship over the past seven years. A majority of the work has been done by contractors with ongoing technical support from Mercyship volunteers. As the work has progressed various systems have been handed over to the Mercyships engineering and deck crew. There are a few more systems to finish off, then we'll most likely be on our way to Blyth to load the ship with supplies that are stored in a warehouse there. All going well the ship should be in Africa before the middle of this year to take over from the ship Anastasis. If the timings work out I may get to sail to Africa with the ship, but there are many unknowns at this stage so will see what happens...


www.mercyships.org

Location links for Africa Mercy: [Google.Maps] [Google.Earth]

(click on any photo to enlarge)



one of the four main engines
Jeremiah at work

view from starboard bridge wing looking aft
Me hangin'bout with the spare propellor blades in the cargo hold. (I do work stuff also...)

Charlie the Plumber in Deck1 workshop Hope the Motorman on #2 generator engine




electrical centre and engine control room

one of the two harbour generators ( turbo charger on the left, now that's a turbo)

view from the bridge

under the bridge instrument console that I've been tidying.
I'm sure things will be just fine once I've put it back together......