Madrid, Spain, March 26, 2018: Bureau Veritas, one of the world’s leading certification bodies, has awarded MSC Cruises the “8 Golden Pearls” award for its sustainable and environmental management on board the MSC Meraviglia. The award is one of the most prestigious global ratings given to cruise ships for their commitment to quality, health, safety, and environmental management. MSC Cruises is the first cruise line to receive the Bureau Veritas “8 Golden Pearls” award.
Since entering service in June 2017, MSC Meraviglia has made waves in the cruise and tourism industry, receiving prestigious awards for the quality of its offerings. The ship has been recognized for incorporating some of the latest customer-centric technology, digital innovations, and new passenger experiences at sea. In addition to this industry-wide recognition, the ship has now also received awards for its state-of-the-art Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental (QHSE) management.
Philippe Donche-Gay, President of Marine & Offshore at Bureau Veritas, commented: “MSC Cruises has demonstrated its commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its operations, and we congratulate the company on its continued, far-reaching efforts in this area. The various sustainable and environmental technologies installed on MSC Meraviglia place the ship at the forefront of cleaner cruise operations. The Bureau Veritas '8 Golden Pearls' award reflects MSC Cruises' commitment to excellence and continuous improvement in environmental performance.”
Bud Darr, Executive Vice President of Maritime Policy and Government Affairs at the MSC Group, stated: “We are honored to receive this award, and we thank Bureau Veritas for their recognition and continued support. They are an invaluable partner on this journey, and we look forward to continuing to advance in the area of environmental management.”
The “8 Golden Pearls” award recognizes the efforts that MSC Cruises has invested in MSC Meraviglia in eight specific areas of protection, specifically demonstrated with these examples:
- The ship is equipped with an exhaust gas cleaning system that removes sulfur oxides from the exhaust gases. Thanks to this system, it complies with strict local and international emissions standards.
- An advanced wastewater treatment system treats such water to a very high quality, mixing different waste streams and filtering out unwanted components to produce a high-quality effluent.
- In addition to wastewater treatment, the ship has a storage capacity and can operate without discharge for two days, allowing for greater autonomy and more flexible navigation.
- Modern technologies and energy-saving materials effectively reduce the ship's environmental impact and improve its energy efficiency. The ISO 50001 is proof of its efficient energy management.
- The company's commitment to safety and creating a secure environment for crew and passengers has earned OHSAS 18001 . This distinction recognizes the company's efforts to establish a comprehensive occupational health and safety management system.
- Furthermore, the ship complies with the ISO 22000 for food safety. This certification includes food safety management systems throughout the entire food supply and preparation chain, “from farm to fork.”
- The company has obtained ISO 14001 certification for its comprehensive and consistent environmental management systems.
- Finally, in addition to ISO and other international certifications and standards, Bureau Veritas awarded MSC Meraviglia the 'CLEANSHIP' rating in recognition of the company's efforts to meet the strictest environmental standards in various areas.
MSC Meraviglia was the company's thirteenth cruise ship to join the MSC Cruises fleet on June 4, 2017, and the first newly built ship to enter service under MSC Cruises' €10.5 billion investment plan for growth. The goal of this plan is to increase the global fleet to 24 cruise ships by 2026, with a total capacity of 5 million passengers per year.
The ship has sailed the Mediterranean during its inaugural summer and winter seasons. On April 18, 2018, it will depart from Genoa for the summer season in Northern Europe, based in Hamburg and calling at attractive locations in the North Sea, the Baltic Sea, and the Norwegian Fjords before reaching the Arctic Ocean, where it will explore the North Cape and the Svalbard Islands.
The MSC Meraviglia is 315 meters long, 43 meters wide, and 65 meters high, displacing 171,598 GRT. It can travel at speeds of up to 22.7 knots, is designed to sail year-round, and can dock at most international cruise ports worldwide.
