the Africa Mercy is equipped with five operating theaters, 82-bed recovery wards, a CT scanner, an X-ray machine and a laboratory. On the upper decks of the Africa Mercy, the ship has 126 cabins that provide accommodations for more than 400 crew, including families, couples, and individuals. The ship is equipped with a day care center, an accredited academy for all grades through senior year of high school, a library, a launderette, a shop for groceries and sundries, a restaurant, a gymnasium, and a donated Starbucks cafe. A fleet of 28 vehicles travels with the ship, for use in Mercy Ship's land-based operations. Meanwhile, the Global Mercy is 174 meters long, 28.6 meters wide and has space for 200 patients, six operating rooms, a laboratory, general outpatient clinics, dental, and eye clinics and training facilities. The hospital decks cover a total area of 7,000 square meters and contain the latest training facilities. The ship can accommodate up to 950 people when docked, including crew members and volunteers from all over the world. Expanding medical capacity In addition to providing free surgical, medical, and dental care, Mercy Ships is committed to investing in local surgical infrastructure in ways that will continue to have a positive impact long after the ship leaves port. By developing medical facilities on land and training local personnel, Mercy Ships ensures that increased surgical care can be provided after the Global Mercy and Africa Mercy depart from their host countries. The process of expanding surgical capacity includes renovating healthcare facilities in developing nations, as well as improving access to safe, affordable surgery. Development teams work with local leaders, governments, and the national ministries of health to assess surgical infrastructure needs and design projects that support the surgical ecosystem in a partner hospital. Throughout its decades of operation, Mercy Ships has supported various medical projects such as the construction or renovation of hospital surgical wards, clinic facilities and equipment for service, new maternity units, and operating theatres. The renovation of healthcare facilities is paired with medical professional mentoring and training courses, both on ship and in-country, designed to improve the quality of services across an entire hospital setting. Volunteer crew Currently, Mercy Ships has more than 1,600 volunteers helping in locations around the world each year. During a typical year, this will include more than 1,550 volunteers from 60 nations serving on board the fleet. About 200 African