MSC Cruises and Fincantieri mark float out of MSC Seascape

169,400-gt MSC Seascape will be able to accommodate up to 5,877 guests with 13,000 m2 of outdoor space (source: Fincantieri)

MSC Seascape will be delivered in November 2022 from Fincantieri, the second Seaside EVO-class ship to enter the MSC Cruises fleet, and the fourth vessel in the line’s Seaside class

MSC Cruises executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said, “The float out of MSC Seascape marks yet another significant milestone in the growth of our fleet and the vessel will pay homage to the oceans through yet another host of highly innovative maritime and design features.

“We have continued with our ambitious newbuild plans in spite of the pandemic, and today is a double celebration for MSC as our next flagship MSC Seascape is floated out into water simultaneously as its sister ship MSC Seashore is officially named at our private island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

“MSC Seascape – together with MSC Seashore – features some of the latest environmental technologies and solutions to minimise its impact on the environment which will help us take a further step forward towards realising our ambition of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050”.

Fincantieri chief executive Giuseppe Bono said, “Such an imposing ship makes it even more suggestive to reflect on the enormous work behind its construction. We began the work on MSC Seascape almost concurrently with the onset of the emergency and today, together with an established operator like MSC, we celebrate its float-out in line with pre-pandemic plans. The great determination in respecting production commitments and preserving the entire orderbook has become the hallmark of our Group, an authentic cornerstone of the culture of the company, and there could not be a better precondition for looking to the future with renewed confidence”.

169,400-gt MSC Seascape will be able to accommodate up to 5,877 guests with 13,000 m² of outdoor space.

MSC Seascape’s environmental technologies will include selective catalytic reduction systems on each of its four Wärtsilä 14V 46F engines to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 90% by converting the gas into harmless nitrogen and water, plus hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems to remove 98% of sulphur oxide from ship emissions.

Fincantieri added in a statement that the vessel is fitted with best-in-class wastewater treatment systems with purification standards that are higher than most wastewater treatment facilities on land, advanced waste management systems, ballast water treatment systems approved by the US Coast Guard, the latest-technology systems for the prevention of oil discharges from machinery spaces and various effective energy-efficiency improvements – from heat recovery systems to LED lighting able to save energy.

The ship will also feature an underwater radiated noise management system to reduce and isolate the potential effects on marine mammals.

Brittany Ferries launches first LNG-powered ferry to serve the UK

Salamanca, the newest LNG-powered addition to Brittany Ferries’ fleet took to the water for the first time on 6 January 2021 at China Merchants Jinling shipyard in Weihai, China, where it is under construction.

The second of three E-Flexer-class ships ordered by Brittany Ferries, 42,000-gt Salamanca will join sister ship Galicia which entered service in December 2020. The 215-m vessel will serve a long-distance route connecting the UK with Spain and will carry 1,015 passengers, with over 2.7 km of lane-space to house passenger and freight vehicles.

Salamanca features two Wärtsilä 12V46DF engines generating 13,740 kW each. Electricity production onboard comes with low CO₂ emissions and alternators installed on shaft lines produce energy even at low speeds.

All the E-Flexer vessels have been designed with a view to improving the environmental impact and improving efficiency with particular attention given to fuel-efficient propulsion plants and a long, slender hull and bow design. The underwater hull features a friction-reducing silicon paint coating which further reduces fuel consumption while the propeller and rudder design bring improved manoeuvrability.

Bow thrusters work in harmony with articulated rudders, making it possible to facilitate tight turns in the harbour and the system dispenses with the need for stern thrusters. Fin stabilisers minimise roll and reduce vibration.

The newbuild is part of the ferry operator’s fleet renewal strategy as part of a larger five-year recovery plan. While Brittany Ferries said the investment in new ships was made well before the Covid-19 pandemic began, the strategy is expected to help future-proof services by ensuring the continuity of passenger and freight services with a trio of cleaner, more efficient and comfortable vessels.

President Jean-Marc Roué said “In spite of Brexit and Covid which have cost our company several hundred million euros already, I am resolved to remain on our path towards eco-responsibility and energy transition. It is a formal commitment I’ve made: we will continue, despite these crises, to reduce our carbon footprint, to keep on improving our fleet and to contribute to the development of the regions we serve. Salamanca is a good illustration of this. By renewing our fleet today, we are ensuring a return to growth tomorrow and Brittany Ferries and our partners remain confident in the future.”

The facilities for storing LNG will be supplied by Repsol in Spain. Under the terms of the agreement, the fuel company will build two quayside LNG bunkering terminals in the ports of Santander and Bilbao, including a 1,000-m³ storage tank to ensure uninterrupted supply for Salamanca and a future vessel Santoña.

“Passengers expect more comfortable, cleaner, greener vessels and society rightly demands sustainability as a standard. Shipping companies that fail to improve are therefore destined to fail,” said Brittany Ferries chief executive Christophe Mathieu.

“It’s why these E-Flexer ships are so important as we look to emerge from the current crisis. Galicia, Salamanca and Santoña are clear evidence that we are determined to sail towards a sustainable and a successful future.”

Salamanca will join the above mentioned Galicia in 2022 and the third LNG ferry Santoña will follow in 2023.

New hybrid superyacht design revealed

New hybrid superyacht design revealed

A new design of superyacht will see a combination of hybrid propulsion and solar panels for minimal environmental impact and high-energy efficiency.

The concept is built around a 60-metre long catamaran with capacity for up to 36 passengers.

The level of sustainability will enable the new generation vessel to access to harbours that would otherwise be closed to large motor yachts, according to the developer, smart technologies firm Wärtsilä and yacht designer Stefano Pastrovich.

The new generation “cost optimised” vessels will serve the charter and luxury hotel sectors.

Wärtsilä Italia senior sales manager Giammario Meloni said: “Efficiency and environmental performance are key pillars of Wärtsilä’s Smart Marine approach, which emphasises the need to collaborate with world-class partners.

“This project encompasses all these ambitions, and we look forward to co-developing with Stefano Pastrovich a totally integrated solution that combines energy efficiency, sustainability and onboard comfort.”

Pastrovich added: “Wärtsilä is the ideal partner for this project since we share a vision to be the very best at what we do. Bringing together our architectural and marine technology know-how will create a mega-yacht design on the leading edge of innovation.

“I’m convinced boutique cruise ships of this calibre could spark a turning point in the charter market, attracting a new customer base of millennials and cruise veterans.”

Virgin will optimise maintenance through remote monitoring

A new cruise ship owner has appointed Wärtsilä to provide remote operational support for a fleet of new builds, which involves real-time performance monitoring.

Virgin Voyages has assigned responsibility for the maintenance of three cruise ships to propulsion supplier, Wärtsilä. Under a 10-year optimised maintenance agreement, Wärtsilä will maintain the vessels through dynamic planning and remote monitoring in real-time.

To achieve this, Wärtsilä will monitor engine room systems to decide on maintenance schedules, aiming to extend service intervals when the equipment does not require maintenance.

Overhauls can be scheduled to fit the operations of the vessel, improving availability and minimising unnecessary downtime.

This agreement covers remote operational support services, specific fuel oil consumption meters and calibration, spare parts and technical advisory services for the engines. It also includes technical support and training for Virgin Voyages' personnel.

Virgin Voyages' three new buildings are scheduled to begin operations in 2020, 2021 and 2022. All three will be equipped with Wärtsilä 46F engines, Wärtsilä’s hybrid scrubber system and selective catalytic reduction systems for exhaust gas cleaning. They will also be outfitted with Wärtsilä’s Nacos Platinum integrated bridge systems.

Virgin Voyages is a joint venture between Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group and Bain Capital.

Wärtsilä and Carnival Ink 12-Year, $1 Billion Partnership Agreement

Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company, has signed a 12-year agreement with Finnish engine manufacturer Wärtsilä valued at nearly $1 billion and covering all engine maintenance and monitoring work for 79 of Carnival Corp.’s vessels.

The two companies said the agreement builds on their existing partnership and is aimed at maintaining the highest possible levels for cruise ship safety and reliability. The agreement is performance-based and provides for shared financial incentives and exposure based on outcomes for both companies.

“Our agreement with Wärtsilä extends our cooperation to a strategic partnership,” said Bill Burke, Chief Maritime Officer for Carnival Corporation. “With Wärtsilä maintaining vessels under our agreement and ensuring a high level of safety and reliability, we can concentrate on our core priority – providing great cruise vacations for our more than 11 million annual guests. In addition to reducing our costs, the long-term agreement increases safety and operational efficiency – two critical advantages in the fast-growing cruise market.”

The long-term value of the agreement is said to be approximately EUR 900 million.

Wärtsilä says the expected revenues for 24 months, approximately EUR 150 million, will be included in its order book for the first quarter of 2017, with expected revenues of EUR 56 million in 2017. The contract will become effective as of April 1.

According to the agreement, all engine maintenance and monitoring work for 79 of Carnival Corporation’s vessels will be handled by Wärtsilä, and ongoing planning will be a collaboration between both companies.

“The agreement includes Wärtsilä’s Dynamic Maintenance Planning (DMP) and Condition Based Maintenance (CBM),” Wärtsilä said in a press release. “These services are based on capturing digitalised data streams from every engine, after which this data is analysed by specialists. This allows real-time optimisation of the equipment whilst predicting operational and maintenance demands. With the DMP and CBM in place, vessel and fleet operations are optimized and engine overhaul intervals potentially extended. With approximately 400 Wärtsilä engines covered under the agreement, even the smallest improvements in vessel fuel consumption add up to significant annual savings in fleet operational costs.”

For Wärtsilä, the strategic partnership is expected to encourage increased focus on research and development, manufacturing and other functions to make its products even better and more efficient.

“We are very excited to develop our long-term partnership into a more strategic direction. Both Wärtsilä and Carnival Corporation are committed to investing significantly in this partnership as well as to develop our cooperation in the long run. We are confident that working closely together, we can improve performance in both organisations,” says Pierpaolo Barbone, President, Services & Executive Vice President, Wärtsilä Corporation.