• MSC Euribia to become the most environmentally advanced ship and the 2nd LNG ship in the MSC Cruises fleet
• MSC Euribia to start sailing from Kiel, Germany in June 2023 – sales are now open
• MSC Cruises reveals winning artwork of the competition to design the hull of MSC Euribia

Geneva, Switzerland – 31 March 2022 – MSC Cruises has opened sales for MSC Euribia, the line’s most environmentally advanced ship in its fleet and its second LNG-powered ship currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, due to launch in early June 2023. The ship will spend her inaugural season in Northern Europe from the German port of Kiel, offering guests a rich panoply of incredible destinations to discover.

MSC Euribia will offer an incredible seven-night itineraries sailing to the Norwegian Fjords with weekly departures from Kiel, Germany with calls including Copenhagen, Denmark; Hellesylt, Norway for the Geirangerfjord; as well as Alesund and Flaam, also in Norway, among others.

All Voyagers Club members who book MSC Euribia, will benefit from their usual 5% discount plus a further 5% booking discount and enjoy double Voyagers Club points. In addition, Silver, Gold and Diamond members also benefit from a €/$ 50 per person on onboard credit.

Hull Design Winner Revealed

MSC Euribia will strike a markedly different silhouette than her sister ships in the Meraviglia-Plus class, thanks to an exclusive artwork designed as a commitment by MSC Cruises to the sea. The line held an exclusive international design competition through Talent House to create a unique artwork for the ship’s hull, inspired by the sea and its important marine ecosystem. The design will be featured permanently on the ship’s hull, highlighting the steps that the Company is taking towards a greener future.

Designs from 59 countries worldwide were submitted and the winner, German artist Alex Flaemig was revealed today. Flaemig will have the honour of his artwork gracing the ship’s exterior, shining a light on the Company’s ongoing commitment to the environment and the pledge to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 2050.

The five finalists will have their designs displayed on board the ship in a new gallery.  

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group said, “In response to the growing need to protect the ocean for future generations, we have made it our mission to equip our ships with the latest and most advanced environmental technologies and solutions, with MSC Euribia showcasing the best of them to-date. The contest to design the hull for our latest LNG ship was launched to help us communicate our unwavering commitment to the environment as this ship sails the world. Mr. Flaemig’s design perfectly captured this message of passion and dedication to preserving the marine environment and its complex ecosystem and delivers a strong call to action to everyone who sees this ship to save the seas.”

The winner Alex Flaemig commented, “In order to make people even more aware of this unique underwater world with its precious life, I have graphically placed a small section of this ecosystem on the hull of the MSC Euribia. What was important to me was not only the representation of the underwater world, but also a message about how it should be preserved.”

Flaemig, a native of Dresden, Germany was inspired by the opportunity to transform the hull of MSC Euribia into a giant, floating canvas to highlight the importance of respect for the environment. His design #SaveTheSea, the design features the unique underwater world with its precious life and weaves together the colours of the MSC Cruises and MSC Foundation logos, creating a gradient effect that paints sea fauna and flora across the hull.

Flaemig goes on to explain, “I also want to express that an intact sea is also the basis for a healthy ecosystem on land. I want to emphasize this with the representation of birds, insects and leaves and last but not least with the globe. It is still important to me to inspire people and encourage them to participate.”

The winning artwork was selected from scores of others from around the world by a panel of international judges including sand artist Jben, known for his large-scale ephemeral sand frescoes that wash away with the tide, architect Martin Francis and Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group.

The environmentally advanced MSC Euribia

MSC Euribia will come into service in 2023 and become the second LNG-powered ship in MSC Cruises’ fleet, marking another step forward in substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions. LNG plays a key role in the journey towards climate change mitigation and will reduce CO emissions by up to 25% on MSC Euribia compared to standard fuels while also virtually eliminating other air emissions.

As bio and synthetic fuels become available, MSC Euribia’s emissions will be further reduced. LNG is key to the development of low carbon solutions for shipping as emerging technologies such as fuel cells can be operated with LNG until zero emissions bio-LNG or green hydrogen become available at scale. MSC Cruises is actively involved in several projects to develop and make these technologies viable in partnership with regulators, academia, shipyards and industry. This includes a project to study the use of hydrogen fuel in cruise ships in partnership with Fincantieri and SNAM, as well as a pilot project for the development of solid oxide fuel cell technology for cruise ships with Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Bloom Energy.

MSC Euribia will utilise an advanced wastewater treatment system, as well as an underwater radiated noise management system to minimise the effects of vibrations on marine life. Multiple energy efficiency features help reduce and optimise engine use.

MSC Cruises is committed to powering at least three upcoming ships with LNG, representing a total investment exceeding EUR 3 billion.