The target will cover both the MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys brands.

The group has signed Getting to Zero Coalition’s "call to action" to accelerate the decarbonisation of the overall shipping sector, including cruising.

In a bid to reach the 2050 target, the company recently entered a partnership with shipbuilder Fincantieri and energy infrastructure company Snam to determine the conditions for a hybrid hydrogen/liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered cruise ship, which would allow for zero-emissions operations in certain areas.

 
In 2019, MSC and Chantiers de l’Atlantique unveiled Blue Horizon, a project that focuses on the integration of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology on LNG-powered cruise ships.
 
The company has also joined a consortium with GE Power Conversion, Lloyd’s Register and Ceres Power Holdings to explore how to address the barriers to adoption of fuel cells in large ship applications.

It is also partnering with "industry leaders and academia" in a research project that promotes low-carbon shipping by combining progressive energy technologies and innovative ship design.

Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division of the MSC Group, said the company has "always felt a deep responsibility" towards marine environment and the planet.

"Today we are taking our commitment one step further by embracing a net zero emissions future within the next three decades," he added.

"We will achieve this by investing in and otherwise supporting the accelerated development and implementation of innovative, cutting-edge technologies to be deployed across our fleet, continuously raising the bar of environmental performance and leading our industry forward."