Yesterday, the keel-laying ceremony took place at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyards in Saint-Nazaire, France, where the keel was laid for MSC Cruises' first LNG (liquefied natural gas) powered ship, MSC World Europe.
The ship, which will have more than 200,000 TB, will enter service in 2022 and will be one of the most technologically and environmentally advanced LNG-powered ships, and the first built in France.
Zoe Africa Vago, daughter of Alexa Aponte-Vago and her husband Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises, and Aurore Bezard from the human resources department of Chantiers de L'Atlantique were the godmothers of the traditional ceremony, representing the owner of the ship and the shipyard, when they placed two coins under the keel as a historical symbol of blessing and good fortune for the project and its life at sea.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises, said: “MSC World Europa is further proof of our commitment to environmental stewardship, as it is set to reduce carbon emissions even more than many other existing LNG-powered cruise ships, which is currently the cleanest fuel for commercial maritime operations. With this ship, we also reaffirm our belief in investing in advanced environmental technology to meet our long-term goal of zero emissions across our operations.”
Laurent Castaing, CEO of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, added: “We are proud to begin construction of a ship that will set the standards for the cruise of the future. This is a significant milestone in the history of our 20-year partnership with MSC Cruises, which has already resulted in some of the most innovative cruise ships ever built.”
MSC World Europa will feature, for the first time on an LNG-powered ship, a new 50 kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology system and will use liquefied natural gas (LNG) to produce electricity and heat on board.
This LNG-powered SOFC solution will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately 30 percent compared to a conventional LNG engine, with zero emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, or particulate matter. Furthermore, it also offers the advantage of being compatible with LNG and other low-carbon fuels such as methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen.
MSC World Europe will also have a wastewater treatment system that goes far beyond the most demanding regulatory standards, as well as other cutting-edge technology.
MSC Cruises' next flagship, MSC Virtuosa, is currently under construction in Saint-Nazaire and scheduled for delivery next year. The company has also placed an order with Chantiers de l'Atlantique for two more LNG-powered ships, one MSC World class and one Meraviglia class.
