Starting today, excursions and land services offered by MSC Cruises during its stops in Barcelona will be provided by electric buses. This is another step in the company's sustainability strategy, which prioritizes a gradual transition to net-zero emissions in its operations, as part of its 2050 Agenda.
Excursions and trips on electric buses represent a significant reduction in the environmental impact of local ports, such as Barcelona's. Each of these buses can make 20 to 25 round trips per day, resulting in an estimated annual saving of 10,315 kg of CO2emissions compared to conventional fuel buses. In addition to emissions savings, these buses also reduce noise pollution, a key type of pollution in urban environments.
These buses will be available to cruise passengers arriving from this Tuesday on all cruises calling at Barcelona. Each bus can carry 48 passengers, so it is estimated that around 1,500 cruise passengers will be transported by electric buses weekly starting this Tuesday. In addition, MSC Cruises is working to expand its fleet of sustainable transport, which will include hybrid buses capable of carrying up to 3,000 passengers.
Fernando Pacheco, CEO of MSC Cruises, stated: “We are very proud to announce that we have taken another step in our mission to make MSC Cruises a sustainable company, not only in our operations at sea, but in every aspect of our business. Today more than ever, we recognize the vital importance of our environment and a healthy, viable planet, and we will continue working towards our goal of achieving net-zero environmental impact by 2050.”
At the beginning of last month, the company published its 2021 Sustainability Report, which reflects the significant progress it has made toward achieving zero-impact operations by 2050, as well as its commitment to customer care and support for sustainable tourism. Following this, MSC Cruises has also developed a comprehensive Sustainability Action Plan, establishing six key areas with corresponding activities, objectives, and targets focused on sustainable business practices and protecting its customers, employees, and the communities in which the company operates.
This is one of the initiatives undertaken in Barcelona, where the shipping company is building a private terminal in the city's port, covering 11,670 square meters, which MSC Cruises will operate and manage for a period of 31 years. This project represents an estimated investment of 33 million euros by the company, and the new terminal is expected to be operational by 2024.
Furthermore, this port will be particularly committed to sustainability as it welcomes the company's future flagship: MSC World Europa. This will be the first LNG-powered ship in the MSC Cruises fleet and the most environmentally advanced to date. MSC World Europa will be the cruise ship with the lowest environmental impact in the cruise industry. Thanks to the Port of Barcelona's efforts to supply LNG to cruise ships, the company's new flagship will be able to refuel in port. The fuel it will run on, liquefied natural gas (LNG), is one of the cleanest marine fuels in the world available on a large scale and is destined to play a key role in the decarbonization (or transition to zero emissions) of international shipping. This new ship will be based in Barcelona, from where it will offer 7-night itineraries with stops in Marseille, the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples, and Messina, as well as Valletta in Malta.
