THE CRUISE DIVISION OF MSC GROUP’S NEW FLAGSHIP – MSC EURIBIA – TO SAIL WORLD-FIRST CRUISE WITH NET ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

Geneva, Switzerland – May 25, 2023 – The Cruise Division of MSC Group will operate the industry’s first cruise with net zero greenhouse gas emissions next week with MSC Cruises’ latest flagship, the liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered MSC Euribia. The voyage will the ship’s first upon leaving her shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France – where she is currently being built – as she sails to her naming ceremony in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The new ship—the 22 in MSC Cruises’ fleet—will sail for four days from Saint-Nazaire to Copenhagen, achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions to demonstrate that net zero cruising is possible today. MSC Euribia will depart from France on June 3 and is scheduled to arrive in Denmark on June 7.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, said: “This industry-first net zero gas emissions voyage of our latest flagship MSC Euribia heralds another significant step on our decarbonization journey and demonstrates more than anything the extent of our commitment.”

MSC Cruises purchased 400 tons of bio-LNG toward the pioneering net zero gas emissions voyage to show its commitment to the deployment of drop-in renewable fuels and energy transition measures. The line is the industry’s first deep sea ocean cruise operator to buy bio-LNG as a fuel source that has significant lifecycle emissions reductions.

Mr. Vago continued: “We cannot do this alone, however. Given the absolute importance of alternative fuels for our industry as well as for other sectors across civil society to achieve decarbonization, we all need to work together to increase their availability at scale. Our purchase of bio-LNG will send a clear and meaningful signal to the market that there is demand from cruise lines and the broader maritime industry for cleaner fuels, but we need governments, producers, and end-users to collaborate and scale-up the availability of these much-needed and new sources of power.”

The net zero sailing will utilize bio-LNG by virtue of a mass-balance system, the most environmentally efficient method of delivering the benefits of renewable biogas. The entire supply chain will be fully compliant with the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive, commonly known as RED II, and each individual batch of the total bio-LNG produced has been certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification.

Michele Francioni, SVP, MSC Cruises, added, “MSC Euribia’s first voyage will be an incredible feat and represents years of commitment and determination. It should prove that we have the capability to operate on a net zero greenhouse gas emissions basis with existing ship technology. This is just the beginning. We are committed to this transition and putting in place everything we can do to facilitate it. It cannot be done without alternative fuels such as bio-LNG, e-LNG, green hydrogen or green methanol being made widely available at scale to fully realize the vision of net zero cruising.”

MSC Cruises is being supported by Nordic energy company Gasum for the net zero greenhouse gas emissions voyage, a leading producer of biogas and processor of biodegradable waste fractions in the Nordic region.

The speed and itinerary of MSC Euribia’s maiden voyage has been designed specifically to optimize the configuration and loads of the engines to minimize fuel consumption. Dedicated energy efficiency specialists from both MSC Cruises and the ship’s constructor, Chantiers de L’Atlantique, will be on board the net zero sailing to monitor and optimize every aspect of this journey. They will work with the Master of the Vessel, Captain Stefano Battinelli, and MSC Euribia’s Chief Engineer, Pasquale Mastellone.  

MSC Cruises’ shore-based energy efficiency experts based in London will continuously monitor and optimize all systems on board to minimize energy demand, identifying additional opportunities to improve energy efficiency in real-time while maintaining high comfort for all guests on board.

This will include a range of measures from the configuration of the engines down to the speed of individual air-conditioning fans in guest cabins, together with the itinerary and speed optimization.   

All of the combined initiatives will save energy to reduce fuel consumption.

MSC Cruises’ newbuilds are fuel flexible ships that can accommodate a variety of renewable fuels available today and expected in the future. The use of fossil LNG already achieves up to a 20 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to conventional marine fuels, and virtually eliminates all sulphur oxide and particulate emissions while also reducing nitrogen oxides by 85 percent.

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About the Cruise Division of MSC Group

MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest cruise brand as well as the market leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa. It is also the fastest growing global cruise brand with a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America and the Far East markets.

Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is one of the two brands that sit within the Cruise Division of MSC Group, the world’s leading and privately held shipping and logistics conglomerate with over 300 years of maritime heritage. MSC Cruises – the contemporary brand - has a modern fleet of 21 vessels combined with a sizeable future global investment portfolio of new vessels, terminals and other assets. The fleet is projected to grow to 23 cruise ships by 2025, with options for six more vessel orders in place through 2030.

MSC Cruises offers its guests an enriching, immersive and safe cruise experience inspired by the Company’s European heritage, where they can enjoy international dining, world-class entertainment, award-winning family programs, and the very latest user-friendly technology on board. To learn more about MSC Cruises’ itineraries and experience on board its ships, click here.

The line’s number one priority has always been the health and safety of its guests and crew, as well as the communities at the destinations its ships serve. In August 2020, MSC Cruises implemented a new comprehensive and robust health and safety protocol to become the first major line to return to sea. To learn more about MSC Cruises’ health & safety protocol, click here.

MSC Cruises has long been committed to environmental stewardship, with a long-term goal to achieve net zero emissions for its operations by 2050. The Company is also a significant investor in next-generation environmental marine technologies, with the objective to support their accelerated development and availability industry-wide. To learn more about the Company’s environmental commitment, click here.

Finally, to learn more about the MSC Foundation, MSC Group’s own vehicle to lead, focus and advance its conservation, humanitarian and cultural commitments, click here.