MSC Cruises and Total today announced an agreement to supply approximately 45,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year for MSC Cruises' upcoming LNG-powered ships.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Cruises, commented: “This agreement represents another step in our ongoing journey to reduce our environmental footprint, for which LNG is currently a crucial component. As we prepare to launch our first of three LNG-powered ships in 2022, this key agreement has secured fueling support for our latest generation and most environmentally advanced ships in the Mediterranean.”.
Used as marine fuel, LNG drastically reduces ship emissions, resulting in a significant improvement in air quality, particularly for communities in coastal areas and port cities. Therefore, this agreement will have a positive impact not only on Marseille, where the LNG will be loaded, but also on all the ports where the ships will make future calls around the Mediterranean Sea.
MSC Cruises' LNG-powered ships will be among the most technologically advanced cruise ships in the world, bringing a wide range of environmental innovations to market. Chief among these is a 50-kilowatt LNG-powered solid oxide fuel cell technology project that offers the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% compared to a conventional LNG engine.
Total will supply fuel to MSC Cruises' LNG-powered ships sailing Mediterranean routes via ship-to-ship transfer, using its second LNG bunker currently under construction. This vessel will meet the highest technical and environmental standards, using LNG as its propulsion fuel and incorporating a complete reliquefaction of the boil-off gas.
