Madrid, October 31, 2019. MSC Cruises has just taken delivery of its new flagship, the MSC Grandiosa. The Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard, one of the world's leading cruise ship manufacturers, delivered this innovative vessel today, which stands out for its environmental technology. Gianluigi Aponte, Chairman of the MSC Group, was present at this historic delivery.
Furthermore, this event was accompanied by another significant milestone for the company: the traditional steel cutting and naming of the first ship in the World Class, MSC Europa. Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, witnessed the steel cutting of this vessel, which is notable for being the first of the five to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)—and the first to be built in a French shipyard. These two events mark a further step in MSC Cruises' commitment to sustainability and the environment.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, says: “From its inception, MSC Cruises has been committed to sustainability, continuously minimizing and reducing its environmental footprint both at sea and on land through cutting-edge technologies that aim for efficiency across our entire fleet. With each new ship, we raise the bar in environmental performance with a clear ultimate goal: zero emissions. MSC Grandiosa brings us even closer to that goal, and this makes us very happy.”
Mr. Vago also stated: “This step is even more significant today, as we begin construction of the first of five ships in the fleet that will be powered by LNG. This will further raise our environmental standards, thanks to the use of alternative fuels and other cutting-edge technologies.”
“Our journey in terms of environmental protection, both at sea and in the ports and cities where we call, doesn't stop here. With each new ship, we will push the boundaries of environmental innovation even further,” emphasizes Mr. Vago, adding: “We will specifically focus our investment in R&D, accelerating the development of cutting-edge solutions, from more alternative fuels and shore power replenishment to batteries, fuel cells, and more. All of this while we modernize our fleet—one of the most advanced in the industry—and continue to refine it with the latest available technologies that improve its environmental performance.”
Laurent Castaing, CEO of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, added: “The delivery of MSC Grandiosa and the official start of construction on the first World Class ship represent two milestones in the history of our collaboration with MSC Cruises. At Chantiers de l'Atlantique, we are happy and proud to provide our valued client with cutting-edge solutions that significantly reduce the environmental impact of ships. MSC Cruises can thus benefit from our R&D programs, which we have been developing for a decade to achieve energy-saving systems and environmentally friendly technologies.”
During the steel-cutting ceremony for MSC Europe, MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l'Atlantique also unveiled a revolutionary R&D project called PACBOAT. This project focuses on integrating a new energy cell technology demonstrator on board ships powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). This demonstrator will produce electricity and heat using LNG. The announcement was made through the signing of an agreement between several of the partners involved in the project.
The integration of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology on board a cruise ship is a world first. This device operates at very high temperatures (~750°C) and is more efficient than proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) solutions that operate with hydrogen at low temperatures and are used, for example, in the automotive industry. SOFC technology offers high electrical efficiency—up to 60%—and because the heat produced can be used on board, its overall efficiency (both heat and electricity) can be much higher. This results in an immediate reduction in energy consumption and, therefore, in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) powered by liquefied natural gas will thus achieve approximately 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to a conventional LNG engine, with zero emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, or particulate matter. Furthermore, it offers the advantage of being compatible with many fuels (LNG/methane, methanol, ammonia, hydrogen, etc.) and, therefore, with their future low-carbon versions.
Pierfrancesco Vago added: “We are delighted to support this highly innovative project, as it demonstrates our commitment to driving the development of cutting-edge environmental technologies that benefit the entire industry. This is a key element in our journey towards zero-emission operations on land and at sea.”.
MSC Grandiosa is MSC Cruises' most environmentally advanced ship and demonstrates the company's commitment to ocean conservation and respect for the communities where it operates. This vessel is equipped with cutting-edge technologies designed to ensure increasingly cleaner air emissions and improved overall environmental efficiency, both at sea and on land.
In addition to a hybrid closed-loop exhaust gas cleaning system that reduces the ship's sulfur emissions by 97%, MSC Grandiosa will also be the first MSC Cruises ship to feature a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, which helps reduce nitrogen oxides by 80%. All other MSC Cruises ships currently under construction will feature SCR technology, including MSC Grandiosa's sister ship, MSC Virtuosa, which will enter service in October 2020, as well as MSC Seashore, also under construction. This active emissions control technology directs nitrogen oxides from engine operations through a catalyst—a high-density device made of noble metals—and converts them into harmless nitrogen and water.
MSC Cruises is investing €5 billion in the construction of five LNG-powered ships. Compared to standard marine diesel, LNG reduces sulfur oxide emissions by more than 99 percent and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 85 percent. It also largely eliminates particulate matter in the ship's exhaust gases and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an additional 20 percent.
The first ship in the World Class, the 205,700-gross-ton MSC Europa, will enter service in May 2022 and is the first of four cutting-edge World Class ships to be built at the French shipyard. Further deliveries are planned for 2024, 2025, and 2027. In addition, a new Meraviglia-Plus class ship, also powered by LNG, is scheduled to be launched in 2023.
