Tourexpi
Attendees
included Captain Gianluigi Aponte, Founder and Group Chairman of
MSC; Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Group's Cruise
Division; Laurent Castaing, Chantiers de l'Atlantique General Manager; and
the French Minister for Industry and Energy, Marc Ferracci; together with
representatives of MSC Cruises' new build team and shipyard workers who built
the ship over the last 30 months.
MSC
World America is the 23rd ship in the cruise line's fleet and is set
to be officially named on April 9 at the company's new
state-of-the-art MSC Miami Cruise Terminal, which is the largest in the world.
The ship offers new venues and concepts tailored specifically to the North
American market, combining European style with American comfort.
Pierfrancesco
Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division, MSC Group, said: "Today
is a proud moment for all of us at MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l'Atlantique as
we mark these major milestones in the development of our fleet. Our new
flagship is a testament to our long-standing, innovative partnership spanning
over 20 years, resulting in five groundbreaking prototypes and 19 ships.
Together, we continue to push boundaries, combining cutting-edge design, the
latest technologies, and a richness of experiences to set new standards in
cruising and always striving to further improve the environmental performance
of each ship. We look forward to raising the bar even higher with the upcoming
MSC World Asia and MSC World Atlantic."
Laurent
Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, added: "It
is with great emotion that we are marking today not one, but three MSC World
Class ships. Continuous improvement of the onboard experience, ever more
optimized energy performance—what a journey MSC Cruises and Chantiers de
l'Atlantique teams have accomplished so far. To date, MSC World America has the
best energy efficiency design index (EEDI) from the IMO, and therefore the
lowest carbon footprint of the entire cruise industry… and we will go even
further with the two sisterships we are celebrating today!"
Marc
Ferracci, Minister of Industry and Energy of France, said: "Industrial
excellence and a spirit of ambition are the hallmarks of Chantiers de
l'Atlantique. Thanks to the privileged relationship with world leader MSC
Cruises, and with the support of the State, the Saint Nazaire shipyards
continue to make France and Europe shine across the seas. I
pay tribute to the commitment and expertise of the men and women who work in
this industrial sector essential for our sovereignty."
MSC
World Asia celebrated its coin ceremony, during which commemorative coins
were placed inside the ship as a sign of blessing during construction and to
bring good fortune to the ship. Two godmothers, Marialuisa Iaccarino, VP
Shore Excursions for MSC Cruises; and Flavie Biondo, Chargé d'affaires for
Chantiers de l'Atlantique placed the coins in the ship's hull. MSC World
Asia will enter service during winter 2026-27 with Mediterranean cruises to destinations in France, Italy, Spain and Malta.
MSC
Cruises' third celebration was a steel cutting ceremony to start construction
of the line's fourth World Class ship, due to enter service in 2027. The ship's
name—MSC World Atlantic—was revealed for the first time. MSC World
Atlantic will offer cruises from Port Canaveral, sailing to the Caribbean starting
with the winter 2027-28 season.
The
World Class platform set new standards in cruising with the introduction
of MSC World Europa in 2022, and it continues to evolve with each new
ship incorporating innovations in design, technology and guest experience.
World Class ships are named in honor of the world's continents and oceans, not
necessarily indicating where they will be deployed. The naming convention
reflects the global nature of MSC Cruises, which sails to all parts of the
world.
MSC
World America is one of the most energy-efficient cruise ships in the
world, surpassing all design requirements under the International Maritime
Organization's Energy Efficiency Design Index. Her latest-generation engines
run on LNG, which enables a direct transition toward drop-in bio and
synthetic renewable fuels.
The
ship is also equipped with shore power to allow the engines to be switched off
while in connected ports that offer it, such as the new MSC Cruise Terminal in
Miami. The ship also has an advanced wastewater treatment system and a
comprehensive onboard recycling management plant, which significantly
reduce waste output.
The
Classification Society, Bureau Veritas, has awarded MSC World America its
Platinum Pearl Award in recognition of MSC Cruises' 20-year commitment to
health, safety and environmental protection across its fleet of ships.
MSC
World America's inaugural season of Caribbean cruises from Miami will start
on April 12. 7-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries include calls
at Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and MSC
Cruises' private island—Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The ship's 7-night Western
Caribbean voyages will call at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Isla
de Roatan, Honduras; and Ocean Cay.
Image
Credit: © MSC Cruises
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