MSC Group's cruise division officially took delivery today of its new flagship, MSC Seashore, the largest cruise ship ever built in Italy. Its sister ship, MSC Seascape, is currently under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard and is scheduled to enter service in winter 2022.
As is tradition, an intimate ceremony was held to celebrate the delivery of the new ship at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone. The event was attended by MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, other members of the Aponte and Aponte-Vago families, Giampiero Massolo and Giuseppe Bono, President and CEO of Fincantieri, as well as representatives from MSC's newbuild team, along with shipyard executives and workers. During the ceremony, which paid homage to centuries-old maritime traditions, Roberto Olivari, Director of the Fincantieri shipyard, presented Giuseppe Galano, Captain of MSC Seashore, with a vial containing the water that first touched the hull when the ship was launched earlier this year.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Group's Cruise Division, commented: “The construction of MSC Seashore is an investment that generates a direct and indirect economic impact of nearly €5 billion on the Italian economy. At the same time, its entry into service also activates a significant economic and employment engine for coastal communities, generating an additional significant economic impact for the tourism industry each year.”.
“Our new flagship is further proof of our leadership in sustainability, as each new ship features the most advanced environmental technology and solutions. In addition to our industry-leading health and safety protocol, MSC Seashore is the world’s first cruise ship to feature a new and innovative air sanitation system. “Safe Air” uses UV-C lamp technology, eliminating 99% of viruses and bacteria to ensure clean and safe air for all passengers and crew on board.”.
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated: “MSC Seashore is the fourth cruise ship we have delivered in Italy this year, which has been extremely demanding, demonstrating the effectiveness of our production and management system. All these milestones, and others to come, have been successfully achieved; therefore, I believe this ship is not only the best symbol of recovery for the entire cruise industry, but also demonstrates the MSC Group’s ability to leverage its expertise and strength to fully preserve our workload.”.
MSC Cruises is committed to building some of the world's most innovative cruise ships, and this innovation extends to its environmental performance. With the long-term goal of achieving carbon-neutral operations by 2050, each new ship represents a step closer to this objective, alongside other investments to help accelerate the development of next-generation environmental technology.
MSC Seashore is no exception and features state-of-the-art environmental technologies and equipment to minimize its impact. This includes hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) and the latest generation selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, achieving a 98% reduction in sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions and a 90% reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. The wastewater treatment system has been designed in accordance with International Maritime Organization Resolution MEPC 227(64) and achieves purification standards that are higher than most land-based wastewater treatment facilities.
MSC Seashore has received two additional class certifications from the classification society RINA. The first is the Sustainable Ship certificate, awarded in recognition of its use of some of the most advanced environmental technologies currently available. This is a target-based certification that can be awarded to ships that demonstrate compliance with sustainability-related requirements, reflecting the strategic sustainability goals adopted by the UN.
The second is the Biosafe Ship certification for mitigating the risk of infection, also achieved by MSC Grandiosa, in a voluntary and goal-based action that certifies that both the design and operating procedures and the systems and components reduce the risk of infection on board.
MSC Seashore is the first Seaside EVO ship, an evolution of the pioneering and revolutionary Seaside class, joining its sister ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, launched in 2017 and 2018 respectively. This class of ship is renowned for its innovative design features and is conceived to connect passengers with the sea. MSC Seashore offers a wealth of entirely new features, venues, and experiences for passengers, as 65% of the public areas have been reimagined to take the passenger experience to a whole new level.
The ship offers 13,000 square meters of outdoor space, with a wide variety of open-air bars and restaurants, swimming pools and a deck area for relaxing and sunbathing, as well as different strategic points around the ship to enjoy the sea views.
