During a four-day trial in the Atlantic Ocean, MSC Cruises’ second LNG-powered ship passed its deep-water demanding system testing. MSC Cruises’ new flagship will be finished at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France, before being officially delivered to MSC Cruises on 31 May.
Euribia will be MSC Cruises’ 22nd ship to enter its fleet, with a capacity of 6,327 passengers. The ship will be officially named on 8 June in Copenhagen, Denmark, before sailing for the first time in Northern Europe from her homeport in Kiel, Germany.
To reduce her environmental imprint, she will use new and sophisticated maritime technologies and LNG fuel – one of the world’s cleanest marine fuels accessible at scale. She will also strike a new silhouette with an exclusive customized fresco painted on her exterior that celebrates MSC Cruises’ commitment to protecting and preserving the marine environment.
The newly finished hull artwork, designed by German graphic artist Alex Flämig following an international competition, intends to inspire dialogue about the necessity of conserving the ocean’s fragile and complex environment.
Euribia is named after the Greek goddess Eurybia, who conquered the oceans by harnessing the winds, weather, and stars, representing the ship’s aim to deploy modern sustainable technologies to achieve the same. Flämig’s visual masterpiece, designed with an ocean-inspired colour palette, is a reflection of MSC Cruises’ continuous dedication to the sea and ambition to achieve nett zero emissions by 2050.
LNG is one of the cleanest maritime fuels accessible on a large scale, and it is expected to play a critical part in the transition to the decarbonization of international shipping. It significantly decreases local emissions of air pollutants such as sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides by up to 99 percent and 85 percent, respectively. LNG also plays an important role in climate change mitigation by reducing glasshouse gas emissions by up to 20% and opening the door for the use of sustainable non-fossil fuels such as bio- and synthetic LNG.
Emissions will be lowered further when bio and synthetic fuels become readily available. LNG is critical to the development of low-carbon shipping solutions because new technologies, such as fuel cells, can run on LNG until zero-emission bio-LNG or green hydrogen become accessible at scale. MSC Cruises is actively participating in a number of initiatives to develop and commercialise innovative technologies together with regulators, universities, shipyards, and industry.
The ship will also have shore power plug-in connectivity to reduce carbon emissions in port, the most advanced wastewater treatment systems designed in accordance with the International Maritime Organisation, comprehensive waste recycling, an underwater radiated noise management system to help limit disturbance to marine life, and a comprehensive range of onboard energy efficient equipment that optimises engine use and hotel energy needs to reduce carbon emissions further.
In June, she will set sail for her first season in Northern Europe, providing 7-night sailings from and to the breathtaking Norwegian Fjords.
