About Cargo Day

Each year, the global shipping and trading community turns everyday business into life-transforming care for patients in Africa. Discover how your industry can connect and create lasting change.

What is Mercy Ships Cargo Day?

Cargo Day is a unique annual online fundraising initiative where the shipping and trading community turns everyday business into life-saving action. Every November, charterers, shipowners, shipbrokers, port agents, and inspection companies collaborate to raise funds for Mercy Ships’ two world’ largest civilian hospital ships.

In this month, the industry comes together to:

Make a pledge – Companies contribute with any amount or with one of the mentioned possibilities in the form.
Quote “Mercy Cargoes” – Charterers nominate cargoes to participating shipbrokers, port agents, or inspection companies, who then donate part of their commission to Mercy Ships.
Give commissions – Shipbrokers, port agents, and inspection companies contribute 50% of their commission from Mercy Cargoes.
Donate address commissions – Charterers give 50% or 100% of their address commissions.

Cargo Day fact sheet Download the Cargo Day fact sheet PDF · 1.77 MB

Thanks to the combined action of the shipping and trading communities more patients like Danielo receive life-changing surgeries, more local health professionals are trained, and healthcare systems across Africa grow stronger.

Mercy Ships Cargo Day patient Danielo — Danielo, 3 years old, received his tumour-removal surgery by Mercy Ships volunteer surgeons, free of charge. He waited for over a year for the hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, to come to their country of Madagascar.

In the past 10 years, over 150 shipping and trading companies have raised $20 million, proving the extraordinary impact of collective industry action.

Participate

Why participate?

Cargo Day is more than a fundraising event – it’s an opportunity for the shipping and trading community to create real, lasting impact. By participating, you:

Each pledge and contributed commission helps fund surgeries that give patients a second chance at life.

Empower local healthcare professionals – Mercy Ships provides onboard training, mentoring, and observation opportunities for doctors, nurses, and medical staff, building skills that stay in Africa.

Mercy Ships provides onboard training, mentoring, and observation opportunities for doctors, nurses, and medical staff, building skills that stay in Africa.

Charterers, shipowners, brokers, and service providers demonstrate that the global shipping community can come together for a meaningful cause.

The funds raised through Cargo Day serve a crucial purpose, covering the daily operational expenses of the hospital ships, including marine expenses, insurance, and maintenance. Each contribution directly propels Mercy Ships mission: free of charge surgeries, training for local healthcare workers, and development of medical systems where resources are scarce.

Examples of how you can support Mercy Ships with your pledge

Operating room for 1 day

5 life-changing surgeries

Maintenance of the Toyota Landrover fleet

1 day of medical supplies for 2 ships

Insurance for 2 ships

30 life-changing surgeries

2 days of training for local healthcare professionals

Security services to keep patients and crew safe

Telecommunication for 2 ships

1 day of dry dock, fuel and lube oil

Entire running of the Global Mercy for 1 day

Who can participate?

Charterers (Tanker, Dry Bulk)
Shipowners (Tanker, Dry Bulk)
Shipbrokers (Tanker, Dry Bulk)
Other shipping and service companies (bunker companies, port agents, inspection companies, ship operators, insurance and consulting companies, shipyards etc).

Any companies in the shipping and trading industry are invited to participate to improve the lives of millions of people.

How to participate

Cargo Day operates through a unique model: Charterers quote “Mercy Cargoes” to participating shipbrokers who then donate 50% of their commission made on those Mercy Cargoes to Mercy Ships.  Charterers are also encouraged to donate either 50% or 100% of their address commission to Mercy Ships or make a pledge. Shipowners and other companies can make a pledge. 

Participate here

Levels of donation

Our donation levels recognize and celebrate the generosity of our supporters, with each tier reflecting a special commitment to our mission:

Diamond: for over 50k
Platinum: 25 to 50k
Gold: 10 to 25k
Silver: 5 to 10k
Bronze: 1 to 5k

Your benefits

For any donation above 5,000$: the logo of your company will be featured in the 2 Tradewinds magazine ads.
For any donation above 10,000$: your company will have first access to the Mercy Ships Cargo Day Geneva Gala.
For any donation above 50,000$: your company will receive an invitation to visit one of the hospital ships.
For any amount, your company is showing love in action by doing good impacting lives of children, women and men in Africa.

Impact of Cargo Day

150+ companies joined since 2016.
20 mio USD raised since 2016.
2 hospital ships: The Africa Mercy and the Global Mercy, the world's largest non-governmental hospital ships, operating across 1 continent.
Thousands of patients received free surgeries on board the hospital ships.
Hundreds of African healthcare workers trained through medical capacity building programs.

Annual impact report READ THE ANNUAL IMPACT HERE PDF · 7.55 MB

See what Cargo Day supporters share

See more on Youtube

Discover more about Cargo Day in the media

Find the latest press releases and media articles highlighting the impact of the shipping and trading community’s support for Mercy Ships. These stories showcase the collective effort, achievements, and inspiration behind this unique global initiative.

About Cargo Day

What is Mercy Ships Cargo Day?

Why participate?

Save lives

Empower local healthcare professionals

Strengthen healthcare systems

Show industry leadership

Examples of how you can support Mercy Ships with your pledge

$ 1,000

$2,500

$5,000

$7,500

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50'000