MSC’s Newest Cruise Ship Set to Embark On Industry’s First Zero-Emission Voyage

The delivery ceremony took place at Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France. Weighing 184,011 gross tons, this ship is slated to embark on the cruise industry’s first voyage with zero greenhouse gas emissions. The ship will sail from Saint Nazaire to Copenhagen, Denmark, on this journey.

During the net zero voyage, bio-LNG will be utilized through a mass-balance system, the most cost-effective and environmentally efficient method of leveraging the benefits of renewable biogas. MSC Cruises ensures that the entire fuel supply chain will comply with the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). Moreover, each batch of bio-LNG has been certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISSC).

Spanning 1,086 feet in length, MSC EURIBIA can accommodate 6,334 passengers and 1,700 crew members, with a maximum speed of 22.3 knots.

Equipped with four dual-fuel engines (Wärtsilä 12V and 16V) capable of running on LNG, the ship can occasionally operate on 0.1% sulphur marine gas oil (MGO). In terms of emissions, the vessel produces up to 19% fewer greenhouse gas emissions per passenger per day compared to other ships in its class using conventional marine fuel. MSC highlights that this represents a 44% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per passenger per day compared to ships built just a decade ago.

The ship incorporates other environmentally friendly features, including advanced onboard wastewater treatment systems and handling waste. Additionally, provisions have been made to seamlessly integrate future innovations into the vessel, such as carbon-neutral synthetic fuels and other alternative fuels, as soon as they become readily available at scale.