York based tech design specialist provides systems for world’s largest civilian hospital ship

York-based tech design specialist North Star Engineers is behind the onboard audio visual (AV) system design and installation of the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, the Global Mercy.

To date, North Star Engineers has donated over £1.5m in products and services to the project. Mercy Ships is an international charity providing a team of volunteer nurses, doctors, surgeons and other crew from all over the world.

The Global Mercy was docked and open for physical and virtual tours in the Port of Rotterdam between February 26 and March 14, before setting sail for Granadilla, Tenerife to continue outfitting in preparation for service within West Africa, the first of many new missions expected over the next 50 years.

The team at North Star Engineers has been responsible for all ship-wide technology system design, specification, procurement management, site supervision and project management, integration and programming.

Damian Andrews, technical director at North Star Engineers, noted: “Since 2013, we’ve had a dream to provide AV technology for the first purpose-built non-governmental hospital ship, providing medical care to some of the world’s poorest countries.

“In 2014, we had the honour of meeting with the team at Mercy Ships in Miami for the very first time and began the process of exploring and developing the technology system for the new ship.”

“The way in which the technology is being used has been designed in such a way as to streamline the ship and medical operations therefore allowing the staff to treat more patients during each mission.

“Due to the charitable nature of the project the design had to continuously evolve as manufacturers made donations which in turn would change the overall design requirement. Also, as the client and shipyard had never built a ship of this kind, the design continues to be adapted as the vessel construction progresses and structural changes are made.”