The Cruise Division of MSC Group today officially took delivery of its new flagship MSC Seashore – the largest cruise ship to be built in Italy. Sister ship MSC Seascape is currently under construction at the Monfalcone shipyard and is due to come into service in winter 2022.
An intimate ceremony was held to mark the occasion as tradition dictates at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone and was attended in person by MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, other members of the Aponte and Aponte-Vago families, Giampiero Massolo and Giuseppe Bono, Chairman and CEO of Fincantieri, as well as representatives from MSC’s new builds team along with executives and workers from the shipyard. During the ceremony, which pays tribute to centuries-old maritime traditions, Roberto Olivari, Fincantieri’s shipyard director, presented to Giuseppe Galano, Master of MSC Seashore, an ampoule containing the water that first touched the hull when the ship was floated out earlier this year.
Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, commented: “The construction of MSC Seashore is an investment that generates an direct and indirect economic impact of almost 5 billion euros on the Italian economy. At the same time, its coming into service also activates an important economic and employment driver for coastal communities and much beyond, generating a further significant economic impact every year for the tourism industry.”
“Our new flagship is further testament to our leadership in sustainability, with each new ship featuring the latest and most advanced environmental technology and solutions. Additionally, over and above our industry-leading health and safety protocol, MSC Seashore is the first cruise ship in the world to feature a new and ground-breaking air sanitation system. ‘Safe Air’ uses UV-C lamp technology, eliminating 99% of viruses and bacteria to guarantee clean and safe air for all guests and crew on board.
Pierfrancesco Vago continued, “MSC Seashore also demonstrates our commitment to continuous innovation in terms of guest experience. She is without doubt our most stunning and sophisticated vessel to date and takes to a whole new level the already successful Seaside platform, with public spaces completely reimagined, a new secondary lounge and a broader offering both in terms of restaurants and retail options amongst many other new and much improved features. This will create a unique onboard experience for our guests this Summer in the Mediterranean and during the Winter season when she will move to Miami to represent our full brand values with North American consumers.”
Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, stated, “MSC Seashore is the fourth cruise ship that we have delivered in Italy during this still extremely demanding year, demonstrating the effectiveness of our production and management system. All these milestones, and others to come, have been successfully achieved and this is never taken for granted. This is why I consider this ship not only the best symbol of recovery for the whole cruise sector, but also of the capability of the Group to leverage its competences and soundness to fully preserve our workload.”
Latest and Most Advanced Environmental Technology
MSC is committed to building some of the most innovative cruise ships in the world – and this innovation also applies to our environmental performance. With a long term objective to achieve net carbon neutral operations by 2050, each new ship represents another step towards this goal, alongside other investments to help accelerate the development of next-generation environmental technology. MSC Seashore is no exception and features the latest-generation environmental technologies and equipment that will minimise their impact. This includes hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) and cutting-edge selective catalytic reduction systems (SCR), achieving a 98% reduction of sulphur oxide (SOx) emissions and reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions by 90%. The wastewater treatment system has been designed in line with the International Maritime Organization’s MEPC 227(64) Resolution and achieve purification standards that are higher than most wastewater treatment facilities ashore.
New RINA notations
MSC Seashore has received two additional class notations from the classification society RINA. The first is the Sustainable Ship notation as the vessel features some of the most advanced environmental technologies currently available. This is a goal-based notation assignable to ships that demonstrate they meet sustainability-related requirements, reflecting the strategic sustainability goals adopted by the UN.
The second is the Biosafe Ship notation for infection risk mitigation, achieved also by MSC Grandiosa, is a goal-based and voluntary notation that certifies that the ship is equipped with systems, components and has a layout and operational procedures that reduce infection risk.
MSC Seashore, The Ship
MSC Seashore is the first Seaside EVO ship, an evolution of the game-changing and pioneering Seaside class joining sister ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, which launched in 2017 and 2018 respectively. This class of ship is renowned for its innovative and glamourous design features and is conceived to connect guests with the sea. MSC Seashore offers a whole host of brand-new features, venues and experiences for guests as 65% of the public areas have been reimagined to take the guest experience to a whole new level. The ship offers 13,000 sqm of outdoor space, with a wide choice of outdoor bars and dining, pools and deck area for relaxing and sunbathing as well as different vantage points around the ship to take in the sea views.
Summer in the Mediterranean and Winter in the Caribbean
MSC Seashore will commence her inaugural season in the Mediterranean offering the popular ‘Six Pearls’ itinerary calling the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples, for visits also to Pompeii, and Messina in Sicily; Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain and Marseille, France.
On 31 October, the ship will depart Genoa for an epic 18-night cruise as the ship repositions to North America. From 20 November the ship will then offer 7-night cruises in the Caribbean calling San Juan in Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie in St Thomas, Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic and then Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in The Bahamas – MSC Cruises’ new private island.
MSC Seashore Key Specs:
- Length/beam/height: 339 /41m/76m
- Gross tonnage: 170,400
- Guests: 5,877 (max capacity for short international voyage)
- Cabins: 2,270
- Crew: 1,648
- Maximum speed: about 22.4 knots
- Flagship of MSC Cruises global fleet
- 19th cruise ship to join MSC Cruises’ fleet
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