• MSC Cruises’ first LNG-powered vessel MSC World Europa completes first set of sea trials
• Line’s second LNG ship MSC Euribia floats out

 The Cruise Division of MSC Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique at the weekend celebrated two important milestones for MSC Cruises’ first two liquefied natural gas  vessels both under construction in Saint-Nazaire, France.

MSC World Europa, the first LNG vessel to join the cruise line’s fleet and set to become the biggest LNG-powered cruise ship in the world, completed her first set of sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean that included testing the performance of the ship’s engines, manoeuvrability, fuel consumption, safety systems, speed and stopping distances.

Meanwhile, MSC Euribia was floated out and has now been moved to a wet dock for work to continue on the ship before she also joins MSC Cruises’ fleet in June 2023.

MSC has invested €3 billion in three LNG-powered cruise ships and the construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard in Saint-Nazaire of the third ship – ‘World Class II’ – is due to start early next year.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division of MSC Group, said: “We made an important pledge last year to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, leading the cruise industry on the path to decarbonisation. MSC World Europa and MSC Euribia will play a fundamental role in this journey.

“LNG is the cleanest marine fuel currently currently available at scale that reduces emissions significantly and also offers compatibility with future alternative fuel solutions for which we are actively investing in research and development, including a pilot LNG-powered solid oxide fuel cell onboard MSC World Europa. If bio or synthetic LNG was available at scale today, both our newbuilds could operate with net zero emissions from the very first day.”

MSC World Europa – next-generation cruise experience

MSC World Europa is the first in the trailblazing MSC World Class – a brand new class of ships that will introduce a completely new cruising platform – and will be able to accommodate up to 6,762 passengers.

Boasting future-proof marine and onboard hospitality technologies, MSC World Europa will redefine the cruise experience with a variety of never-before-seen concepts and creative areas unlike anything at sea today. The ground-breaking design features a Y-shaped aft that leads to the impressive 104-metre long half-open half-covered Europa Promenade with breathtaking ocean views. Brand new balcony cabins overlook the stunning promenade, which features a striking architectural centrepiece in the form of The Venom Drop @ The Spiral, an 11-deck-high slide, the longest at sea.

MSC World Europa will debut in the Arabian Sea in winter 2022/23 with MSC Cruises set to deploy its largest ever capacity in the Middle East for the season as it aims to strengthen its position as the region’s market leader for holidays at sea.  The ship will offer seven-night voyages between December 2022 and March 2023 from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates, Dammam in Saudi Arabia and Doha in Qatar before returning to Dubai. [Link to itineraries]

MSC World Europa in March 2023 will then head to the Mediterranean Sea and sail seven-night cruises calling the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain and Marseille in France.

MSC Euribia – symbol of MSC Cruises’ respect for the oceans

MSC Euribia will become one of the most environmentally advanced ship in MSC Cruises’ fleet to date and is named after the ancient goddess Eurybia who harnessed the winds, weather and constellations to master the seas.   MSC Euribia will strike a markedly different look than other ships in MSC Cruises’ fleet thanks to an exclusive artwork design that transforms the hull of MSC Euribia into a giant, floating canvas to communicate the importance of sustainability and the Company’s commitment to the sea.

MSC Euribia from June 2023 will spend her inaugural season in Northern Europe from the German port of Kiel with seven-night itineraries to the Norwegian fjords with calls including Copenhagen, Denmark; Hellesylt, Norway for the Geirangerfjord; as well as Alesund and Flam, also in Norway, among other destinations.

MSC World Europa and MSC Euribia – environmentally advanced ships at sea

Both MSC World Europa and MSC Euribia will be powered by LNG fuel which eliminates local air pollutant emissions like sulphur oxides and reduces nitrogen oxides by up to 85 per cent.  LNG also plays a key role in climate change mitigation as it reduces CO2 emissions by 25 per cent and is paving the way for the uptake of sustainable non-fossil fuels including green hydrogen.

The two vessels will both feature selective catalytic reduction systems, shore-to-ship power connectivity, advanced wastewater treatment systems to comply with the so-called Baltic standard,  the strictest global standard for wastewater disposal to sea, underwater radiated noise management systems to reduce potential noise and vibration impact on marine mammals, as well as a wide range of energy efficient equipment and systems to optimise engine use.