MSC Cruises successfully used shore power when the MSC Meraviglia connected to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal's electrical grid, marking the first official connection following the commissioning and testing of the shore power system on October 26.
Power supplied from land provided electricity to all passengers and crew on board the ship while it remained docked, following a successful test connection the previous weekend.
Thanks to this connection, the MSC Meraviglia was able to turn off its engines, eliminating local emissions as part of the commitment of both the city of New York and MSC Cruises to improve air quality while the ship is in port.
Lynn Torrent, President of MSC Cruises North America, commented: “We are proud to see the advancement of onshore energy use in US ports, including New York. Collaboration with local communities, authorities, and port partners is fundamental to achieving this progress. We are committed to connecting whenever onshore technology is available, as part of our ongoing efforts to improve local air quality and reduce carbon emissions.”
MSC Cruises has incorporated shore power connectivity as standard on all its new ships since 2017 and continues to progressively adapt the rest of its fleet. Currently, 16 of its 23 ships are already equipped with this technology, a number that will increase to 17 before the end of the year.
Last month, the MSC Group's Cruise Division celebrated a successful year in the Mediterranean port of Valletta (Malta), where the MSC World Europa accumulated 300 hours of connection to the local electricity grid in 12 months.
Its luxury brand, Explora Journeys, also made its first connection to Malta's power grid the following day, with its inaugural ship EXPLORA I, the first of a planned fleet of six.
Also, the MSC Seaview recently tested the new shore power installation in the Italian port of La Spezia, and last week the MSC Poesia tested a new shore connection system in Le Havre (France).
MSC Cruises' first use of land-based power in the United States occurred in April 2025, when the MSC World America plugged in while docked at its new state-of-the-art terminal at PortMiami, which opened that same month.
In 2024, MSC Cruises connected to shore power in 13 ports and made 142 successful connections, more than triple the number from the previous year.
The MSC Meraviglia is based in New York during the 2025-2026 winter season, offering 7-night itineraries to Port Canaveral, Nassau and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, the cruise line's private island in The Bahamas.
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