MSC Orders New LNG-Powered “World Class” Cruise Ships

MSC Cruises has placed an order for two new “World Class” cruise ships with French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique. These ships will be powered by LNG and will join the existing World Class series, with the third and fourth ships set to arrive in 2026 and 2027. The first ship in the series, MSC World Europa, went into service in December 2021, and the second ship, MSC World America, is scheduled to set sail in April 2025. These new ships will exceed the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) requirements and will be equipped with advanced environmental technology to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique are working together to build some of the most cutting-edge ships in the world. The new vessels will be compatible with green methanol and other alternative fuels, and will feature large heat recovery systems and dual-fuel internal combustion engines with lower methane slip. Despite the significant cost premium for increasing the energy efficiency of the ships, MSC Cruises is committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Chantiers de l’Atlantique expressed gratitude to MSC Cruises for having faith in the shipbuilder and appreciated government funding for R&D initiatives to build more environmentally friendly ships.

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