Community Stories

The Maritime Executive

Wilden Donates New AODD Pump To Mercy Ships

Wilden®, part of PSG®, a Dover company and a worldwide leader in air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pump technology, is pleased to announce that it recently donated a new AODD pump to Mercy Ships for transferring blackwater onboard the hospital ship Africa Mercy, the largest civilian hospital ship in the world. Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships is a global charitable organization that operates a fleet of hospital ships specially designed for use in developing nations.

Mercy Ships Donation

@Mercy Ships, credit: Shawn Thompson

Many people in Africa have little or no access to healthcare. As a result, many children, teens and adults suffer and die every day from curable or treatable causes. For nearly 40 years, Mercy Ships has delivered free services valued at more than $1 billion — directly impacting more than 2.5 million children and families. As a state-of-the-art hospital ship, the Africa Mercy brings volunteer medical teams and sterile operating rooms directly to people who would otherwise go without care.

“At Wilden, we are passionately committed to making a difference in people’s lives,” said Erik Solfelt, Diaphragm Pump Product Manager for Wilden. “We’re thrilled to participate in important programs, such as Mercy Ships, and are extremely happy that our pumps have the ability to help improve the health of those in need. We look forward to continuing to help Mercy Ships for many years to come.”

Specifically, Wilden donated a PS8 Original™ 51 mm (2”) metal AODD pump to Mercy Ships. This high performance pump features the reliability and energy savings of the Pro-Flo SHIFT® Air Distribution System (ADS) while its clamped configuration allows for easier maintenance, diaphragm replacement and cleaning. PS8 Original pumps are shear sensitive and intrinsically safe with self-priming and dry-run capabilities, and offer the longest mean time between repair (MTBR), superior anti-freezing and increased on/off reliability.

About Wilden Pump and Engineering

Jim Wilden revolutionized the pumping industry when he invented the air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pump in 1955. Since then, Wilden AODD pumps have proven to be trustworthy solutions to pumping applications in a wide variety of industries. Wilden pumps are part of PSG®, a Dover company, and manufactured in Grand Terrace, CA. For more information about Wilden, please visit wildenpump.com. For more information on PSG, please visit psgdover.com.

About Mercy Ships

Mercy Ships uses hospital ships to deliver free, world-class healthcare services, capacity building and sustainable development to those with little access in the developing world. Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has worked in more than 70 countries providing services valued at more than $1.3 billion, treating more than 2.56 million direct beneficiaries. The Africa Mercy is crewed by 400 volunteers from up to 40 nations, an average of 1000 each year. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, healthcare trainers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort. With offices in 16 nations, Mercy Ships seeks to transform individuals and serve nations one at a time. For more information please visit www.mercyships.org.