Page 22: of Maritime Logistics Professional Magazine (Q3 2015)

21 23

career pro? le

There is no comparison knowing that what you do has given a future to an otherwise dying child, changed a community’s priorities and even a nation’s view of the importance of healthcare and the need to alleviate the suffering of their people. While I interact with the poorest of the world’s poor, “

I have also met many presidents and prime ministers and other world leaders. I don’t know of many organizations that can really say they impact an entire nation in the way Mercy Ships does.

– Captain Tim Tretheway ” sive drill, testing and maintenance schedule for all SOLAS, on board the Africa Mercy, children of the long-term crew.

ISM and other requirements. Technical crew must meet all Mercy Ships runs an accredited international academy and passenger ship STCW requirements such as Security Aware- Tretheway believes that the school is second to none. “Our ness, Crowd and Crisis Management, etc.” son has had a great education so far. The class sizes are very small, 3-5 students perhaps, and he is exposed to languages,

A Different Calling cultures and races from all over the world. He is totally color-

Unlike many (most) mariners, Tretheway had the luxury of blind in terms of race and culture and sees people for who they spending virtually his entire seagoing career with his wife, are, not how they look … even the deformities he sees with and child. That said; Tretheway describes an unusual and re- many patients.” warding relationship. “I met my wife on board our old ? ag- In actual practice, Mercy Ships don’t spend a lot of time un- ship when she came as an Administrator. I got her into my derway, unless redeploying to a different region; typically two department because she was a certi? ed forklift driver, so she months of underway and technical periods. Drills and train- could ? ll two functions. I left a short time later for other du- ing are conducted continuously. For holidays, Tretheway and ties, but we kept in touch. Since we were both motivated to his family often take advantage of the amazing locations they serve before we met each other, we found it an easy transition serve to have family time ashore. He adds, “They are usually to living and working together on board.” not tourist hotspots, but are unique and often places people al-

In terms of family life, life aboard the Mercy Ships is any- ways want to visit, but never do. Otherwise, we regularly return thing but routine. At any one time, there are 40 to 50 children to the United States or the UK, which we currently call home.”

The Africa Mercy at a glance …

Length: 152m Crew Capacity: 474 Built: 1980 Elsinore, Denmark

Breadth: 23.7m Class: Bureau Veritas Rebuilt: 2000

Draft: 6.0m Operating theatres: 5 Main Engines: 4 B&W (3120 kW each)

Registered: Malta Family cabins: 26 Patient Beds: 82-bed ward | | 22 Maritime Professional 3Q 2015 18-33 Q3 MP2015.indd 22 9/18/2015 9:41:32 AM