MSC Cruises has held the keel laying ceremony for what will be its longest ship.

MSC Seashore – which will be 339 metres long – enters service in June 2021 and is the first of two improved Seaside Evo-class ships. It is based on the line’s Seaside-class but will be a “significant evolution and improvement” of sister ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, according to the line.

A traditional maritime coin ceremony took place at the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy.

The ship will feature a double-decker show lounge at the aft, a bigger casino and 20 specialty bars. There will also be a newly designed aft pool, an enlarged indoor pool and a new interactive waterpark. Clubs for young children and teenagers have been separated from a larger kids’ zone and guests will benefit from MSC Cruises’ virtual personal cruise assistant, called Zoe.

There will be an additional 200 cabins, a larger MSC Yacht Club and new double-deck aft lounge, as well as 28 additional terraced suites and 41 deluxe grand suites and two owner’s suites with whirlpools.

The cluster cabin concept will link two or three adjoining cabins and will accommodate between six and 10 people, while 75 larger cabins will be added for disabled passengers.

MSC Cruises’ executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Today’s ceremony marks another key milestone in the construction of one of our most innovative all-around ships yet.

“Most importantly, MSC Seashore – which will feature the latest and most advanced environmental technology currently available – represents another proof of our long-standing commitment to preserve the environment in our ongoing journey to minimise and continuously reduce the impact of our operations.”

Fincantieri CEO Giuseppe Bono added: “The beginning of drydock works of MSC Seashore, the largest ship so far built in Italy, is for us a source of great satisfaction.

“It is a real challenge in terms of structural and managerial aspects, which powers the impressive workload for the shipyard and the local area. We therefore are very pleased for such a celebration which seals the fruitful partnership with MSC Cruises and we are confident that there will be other similar moments in the future.”

MSC Seashore will be fitted with state-of-the-art environmental systems to reduce emissions and a next-generation advanced wastewater treatment system.