On December 2015，a cooperation was established between Mercy Ship, the largest non-governmental hospital ship operators and Headway. OceanGuard® BWMS will onboard the newly built medical ship and become the first ballast water management system on hospital ships.
To ensure a qualified building of vessel, Mercy Ships has trusted the well-known cruise ship operator Stena to in charge of the building and equipment selection. The vessel to be built will focused on the health affairs in Africa. Restrained by lack of water, poverty, malignant disease and poor water quality, the development of healthcare in Africa was held back for years. Considering the poor water quality, Mercy Ship and Stena made a comprehensive analysis on the ballast water management System in the market. Taking the water quality and operation cost into consideration, OceanGuard® was selected as a qualified system for the project.
According to Mercy Ships and Stena, with the advantage of high biological efficiency, easy to install and operate, low operation and maintenance costs are suitable and fully meet the requirement of hospital ships. Except for the treatment of ballast water, OceanGuard will also in charge of pre-treatment of marine water desalination for living usage. With the stable performance and operation, OceanGuard will win additional time for the crew to work on the medical aids for people in Africa.
Mercy Ships is a global charity, has operated a fleet of hospital ships in developing nations since 1978, bringing hope and healing to the world’s forgotten poor. As ship is the most efficient platform to deliver a state-of-the-art hospital to regions where clean water, electricity, medical facilities and personnel is limited or nonexistent. And, because more than 50% of the world’s population lives within 100 miles of the coast, Mercy Ships hopes to bring the medical assistance to those in need of help. By far, Mercy Ships has already sailed to 578 harbors in 57 developing countries to exercise charity medical aids to people in need.
With the sign of this contract, Headway has equipped OceanGuard® BWMS to all types of vessels needs ballast water management system. Together with Mercy Ship, Headway will contribute on the marine environment protection and humanistic concern of the world.
