MSC World Europa, the first LNG vessel to join the cruise line’s fleet and set to become the biggest LNG-powered cruise ship in the world, completed its first set of sea trials in the Atlantic Ocean over the weekend.
It included testing the performance of the ship’s engines, manoeuvrability, fuel consumption, safety systems, speed and stopping distances.
Meanwhile, Euribia, the line’s second LNG-powered vessel, was floated out and has now been moved to a wet dock for work to continue on the ship before it also joins MSC’s fleet in June 2023.
MSC has invested €3 billion in three LNG-powered cruise ships and the construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique yard in Saint-Nazaire of the third ship – World Class II - is due to start early next year.
Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the cruise division of MSC Group, said: "We made an important pledge last year to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, leading the cruise industry on the path to decarbonisation. MSC World Europa and MSC Euribia will play a fundamental role in this journey.
"LNG is the cleanest marine fuel currently currently available at scale that reduces emissions significantly and also offers compatibility with future alternative fuel solutions for which we are actively investing in research and development, including a pilot LNG-powered solid oxide fuel cell onboard MSC World Europa."
World Europa will debut in the Arabian Sea in winter 2022/23 with MSC set to deploy its largest ever capacity in the Middle East for the season as it aims to strengthen its position in the region.
The ship will offer seven-night voyages between December 2022 and March 2023 from Dubai to Abu Dhabi and Sir Bani Yas Island, Dammam and Doha before returning to Dubai.
Elsewhere, Euribia will spend its inaugural season in northern Europe from the German port of Kiel with seven-night itineraries to the Norwegian fjords with calls including Copenhagen; Hellesylt; Alesund and Flam.
