World Europa delivered
MSC Cruises has taken delivery of MSC World Europa (pictured)
at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire.
The world’s largest LNG-powered ship is the most environmentally high-performing MSC vessel to date, thanks to a range of technologies and solutions that minimise her impact on the air and marine environment.
World Europa incorporates fuel cell technology which has the potential to deliver significant CO2 emission reductions.
“We are proud to welcome to our fleet MSC World Europa,
our 20th ship and the first to be LNG-powered,” said MSC Cruises Executive Chair Pierfrancesco Vago.
“This groundbreaking vessel represents the next phase in our journey toward net zero and sustainable cruising and a symbol of our unwavering commitment to both.
“World Europa represents a major step forward for our Cruise Division, the entire MSC Group, and our industry, with a range of unprecedented innovations in terms of environmental and marine technologies, design and guest-centric features.”
Chantiers de l’Atlantique General Manager Laurent Castaing declared: “we have reached a new stage in the cruise industry with MSC World Europa,
the largest ship ever built for a European shipowner.
“From a technological standpoint, MSC World Europa,
which is equipped with a liquefied natural gas propulsion system, presents a new level of performance and efficiency of the cruise industry.
“This represents a major milestone in minimising emissions as MSC World Europa
is the least emitting ship of the entire cruise industry.”
World Europa is the world’s first contemporary cruise ship to feature brand new solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology, powered by LNG.
The ship will include a 150-kilowatt SOFC demonstrator that will use LNG to produce electricity and heat on board in a highly efficient way by means of an electrochemical reaction.
It will be a testbed to accelerate the development of fuel cell technology for contemporary cruise ships, and offers a potential to enable hybrid propulsion solutions in the future.