A SCOTS marine engineer is leading a global mission to save lives through the launch of the world's largest civilian hospital ship.

The Global Mercy has just completed deep water sea trials, one of the final milestones in the countdown towards the hospital ship’s delivery.

And the brain behind the ship Glasgow-born Jim Paterson, who studied Marine Engineering at Glasgow Caledonian University is now expecting the hospital ship’s delivery, equipping, maiden voyage and launch into service to sub-Saharan Africa by next year.

From correcting cleft lips and palates and congenital deformities to removing tumours and restoring eyesight, it is estimated that more than 150,000 lives will be changed on board the Global Mercy through surgery alone over the vessel’s 50-year expected lifespan.

It marks the end of a 14-year-old process for the custom hospital ship with the first steel cut six years ago.

The launch will mean that international charity Mercy Ships will more than double its current impact with both life-changing surgeries and training of healthcare professionals.

The vessel is seen as crucial to help to prevent deaths, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Each year, 16.9 million people die due to a lack of access to surgical care, 93 percent of whom stem from sub-Saharan Africa.

This is more than three times the number of deaths attributed to HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.

The 37,000 tonne 570ft-long ship hospital boasts two decks, spans 7,000 square meters with space for up to 950 persons in port including a 641 live-in volunteer crew, recruited from around the globe with skills ranging from surgeons and teachers to cooks and electricians.

It features all of the amenities of a general hospital on land, including six operating rooms, hospital wards for 200 patients, a CT scanner and a fully equipped laboratory.

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It also features a 682-seat auditorium, an accredited academy for children, gymnasium, pool, café, shop and library for a crew of 600 live-in volunteers from around the globe The deep-water trials were designed to test the vessel during extended sailing time to ensure that all systems are fully operational and in line with strict standards and specifications.

Tests include areas engine performance and fuel consumption, navigation and radio equipment, emergency systems, speed tests, manoeuvrability, engine, and thruster tests as well as safety evaluations.

The brain behind the Global Mercy, Jim Paterson, whose journey with the charity began in 1987 as a chief engineer before developing and leading the organisation’s marine operations department for about 20 years was pleased with the ship's progress.

He said: “These deep-water trials represent a critical checklist before delivery of our new purpose-built ship to become the platform for service it is designed to be. "Trials systematically test operational aspects by putting the vessel through paces for a week at sea. I am pleased to say that the Global Mercy successfully passed every test.

“We are then left with some finishing touches in the interior, particularly the hospital area before we take delivery.

"Volunteers and patients alike will experience more individual lives enriched by the impact of surgical intervention that would not be possible without Mercy Ships first hand. "Additionally, the new technologies and added space for teaching and training local healthcare workers through the Mercy Ships Medical Capacity Building program will multiply the long-term impact in these countries by passing knowledge beyond the ship and into the communities for years to come."

As the first of its kind, the ship has undergone construction at Tianjin Xingang Shipyard in China.

Mercy Ships says that after it takes final delivery of the vessel, the ship will make its maiden voyage to Belgium as a guest of the Port of Antwerp.

While docked, the Global Mercy will complete several months of final outfitting and crewing.

This includes installation of medical equipment and IT systems as well as stocking the vessel with supplies through the Mercy Ships European Distribution Center in the Netherlands.

The visit to Europe will culminate in a final send-off from Rotterdam for the ship’s first voyage to Africa.

Mercy Ships also plans to hold an Africa commissioning event for the arrival of the Global Mercy in Dakar in early 2022, at the start of the ship’s first field service in Senegal.