The Africa Mercy will help provide free health care

It has taken eight years to convert the Africa Mercy, a former Danish rail ferry, into a charity hospital ship at a cost of �30m.

The 500ft-long (152m) ship will provide free health care and operations for the poorest people of Liberia in Africa.

The ferry, operated by international charity Mercy Ships, sets sail from the Northumberland port of Blyth on 4 May.

The refit was completed at the Newcastle A & P yard.

Staff onboard are expected to carry out approximately 7,000 operations per year including cataract removals and lens implants, tumour removals and cleft lip and palate reconstructions.

Charity fundraiser and businesswoman Ann Gloag helped buy the 16,572 tonne ship.

First mission

She said: "When I originally put up the first donation to buy the ship I knew it would be a long, tough project and it certainly has been.

"However, when you consider that this ship used to be a rail ferry and is now a state-of-the-art hospital ship, all the hard work has been well worthwhile."

The vessel is the fourth ship to be operated by Mercy Ships, which has provided more than �350m worth of services worldwide since it was set up in 1978.

More than 400 volunteers will take part in the ship's first mission including doctors, dentists, nurses, teachers, builders and cooks.

The ship has 474 berths, a 78-bed ward, six operating theatres, an X-ray room, CT scanner, and a school for up to 60 pupils.