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MSC World Europa starts first summer Mediterranean season

MSC Cruises, MSC World Europa
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MSC Cruises’ first vessel to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) – MSC World Europa – has arrived in Europe after spending a maiden season in the Arabian Gulf.

The ship – which was officially named in Doha in November – will offer seven-night itineraries calling at the ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Valletta, Barcelona and Marseille.

MSC World Europa will undertake its first LNG bunkering in Marseille on 15 April.

It also features solid oxide fuel cell technology, which uses LNG to produce electricity and heat on board.

MSC Cruises UK & Ireland MD Antonio Paradiso said: “It is with great pride that we welcome MSC World Europa in Europe as she starts her first summer season in the Mediterranean.

“This groundbreaking vessel is a testimony of our unwavering commitment to sustainable cruising, with a range of unprecedented innovations in terms of environmental and marine technologies.”

MSC World Europa a ‘major step forward’

Paradiso added: “MSC World Europa represents a major step forward on our journey towards meeting our target of net-zero emissions by 2050.”

Regarding the performance of its sustainability measures, the line’s vice-president of sustainability Linden Coppell said: “Nearly six months into testing, the fuel cell performance has been excellent and we haven’t seen any signs of safety or maintenance issues.

“We have operated the system continually and it has delivered a steady output even better than our forecast 150-kilowatt return.

“Obviously, this is a small fraction of the energy we need but we are confident that the system can be scaled up on future new builds.

“We recognise that this will requires close collaboration with partners across and outside of our industry, which is why MSC Cruises is actively involved in several different research initiatives and partnerships that all share the common objective of accelerating the transition toward a net-zero future.”

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