Mercy Ships is an international charity based on Christian values that operates the largest non-governmental hospital ships in the world, providing humanitarian aid like free health care, community development projects, community health education, mental health programs, agriculture projects, and palliative care for terminally ill patients. Its headquarters are in Lausanne in Switzerland. Mercy Ships has visited more than 55 developing nations and 18 developed nations around the world, with a focus on the countries of Africa for the past 30 years. A major inspiration for Mercy Ships founder Don Stephens was the work of the international hospital ship . Stephens' research showed that 95 of the 100 largest cities in the world were port cities. Therefore, a hospital ship could deliver healthcare very efficiently to large numbers of people. The birth of Stephens' disabled son, John Paul, also inspired him to move forward with his vision of a floating hospital. A visit with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India, further deepened his commitment to serving people in need. History Mercy Ships was founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens in Lausanne in Switzerland. The first ocean liner acquired was the Victoria, which was purchased for its scrap value of US $1 million. The nine-deck vessel was transformed into the hospital ship over a four-year period. The 522-foot ship was equipped with three operating rooms, a dental clinic, an x-ray machine, a laboratory and 40 patient beds. The ship's 350-member crew included Mercy Ships founders Don and Deyon Stephens, who lived on board the ship with their four young children for ten years. In 1983, the Anastasis (the Greek word for "resurrection") began operations in the South Pacific, then moved to Central America and the Caribbean Sea in the mid-80s. The ship moved on to Africa in 1991 and remained in service there until 2007. The final port of call for the Anastasis was Monrovia, Liberia. Originally, Mercy Ships was a part of the YWAM (Youth with a Mission) family of Christian ministries, before becoming a standalone organization in 2003. The organization historically uses retired ocean liners and ferries that have been transformed into floating hospitals. In 2021, however, its first purpose-built hospital ship, the Global Mercy, joined the fleet. Mercy Ships purchased the Norwegian coastal ferry MS Polarlys in 1994 and transformed it into the MV Caribbean Mercy, a hospital ship serving Central American and Caribbean ports. The ship offered