MSC Cruises, the world’s third largest cruise company with 23 modern ships, has signed the orders for two new ships of the successful “World Class” at the French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique in St. Nazaire.
With this order, the number of ships of this class in the MSC Cruises fleet will increase to six.
The two newly ordered 332.8 m long and 46 m wide ships, currently still referred to as World Class 5 and 6, are scheduled for delivery in 2029 and 2030 respectively.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, said: “The confirmation of the orders for the two new World Class ships marks the continuation of our history of shipbuilding in France and our long-term growth plan. This milestone underscores our commitment to building some of the best performing ships in the world and creates a legacy of excellence and innovation in collaboration with Chantiers de l’Atlantique – our partner for more than 20 years. This highly successful class of ship combines modern environmental technology with the latest guest experiences.”
Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, added: “We thank MSC Cruises for their continued trust. The combined expertise of our two companies has resulted in the promising World Class series, which meets the challenges in terms of both passenger experience and environmental performance. With their energy efficiency, the World Class 5 and 6 mark a milestone in the history of the cruise industry.”
Space for up to 6,750 guests
The new ships will complement the “MSC World Europa” delivered in 2022 and the recently delivered “MSC World America”, as well as the two ships under construction, “MSC World Asia” and “MSC World Atlantic”, which will enter service in 2026 and 2027 respectively. Measuring around 215,900 GT, the World Class ships are the third largest cruise ship class in the world and can accommodate up to 6,750 guests at double occupancy. They are already the most energy-efficient ships in operation and clearly exceed the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The new ships will also meet the high energy efficiency standards of their sister ships. All World Class ships can use alternative fuels such as bio and synthetic LNG. They will also be equipped with the latest generation of modern dual-fuel engines, which will further reduce methane slip.
The new ships will be equipped with shore power connections to reduce CO₂ emissions in port. They also have modern wastewater treatment in accordance with IMO standards, advanced waste management and numerous energy-efficient solutions on board. These measures help to optimize the energy consumption of the engines and hotel operations and further reduce emissions.
Like the other World Class ships, the new ships combine the elegant European design of MSC Cruises with the highest level of comfort – for a guest experience that is tailored to the needs of different types of travelers through a variety of areas and offers. Each new MSC Cruises ship brings with it fresh ideas and special highlights – World Class 5 and 6 will be no exception. (CE)
