New MSC Ships As Green As Possible

A wide range of technologies will be on display on MSC Cruises’ pair of 2021 newbuilds, the Seashore and Virtuosa.

According to Linden Coppell, director of sustainability, both ships will have hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems, selective catalytic reduction and shore power capability

Potable water will be generated aboard through reverse osmosis, and wastewater will be treated via the latest advanced technology.

“For every new class of ship, we really work on the energy and fuel efficiency piece,” she told Cruise Industry News, “making sure each new ship is as efficient as it can be.”

That means not only new systems but big data.

“For the Virtuosa, we are looking at how the Grandiosa is operating now and the results,” Coppell said. “We collect a lot of data from the ships and analyze it, and work with the shipyard.”

The company expects the Virtuosa to be more efficient than her sister vessel, the 2019-built Grandiosa.

“We are looking at internal (items), like the HVAC systems,” Coppell explained. “These are the big technology pieces, but then there is a lot of fine-tuning, adjusting and reporting back to the captain and his team.”

With the 5,200-guest World Europa debuting in 2022 and featuring not only LNG-fuelled engines but also a fuel cell, MSC will underscore its leadership position in green cruising.

The World Europa will be MSC’s first ship powered by LNG and part of a series of five LNG-powered newbuilds.

The World Europa also features the first solid oxide fuel cell aboard a cruise ship, where LNG will help create heat and thus electricity for the hotel load through the fuel cell. The fuel cell is expected to be scaled over time from its initial 50KW output.