MSC Group's MSC Cruises and the French shipbuilding company Chantiers de l’Atlantique celebrated two major milestones for the first of two LNG-powered ships currently under construction in St Nazaire.
MSC World Europa - the world's largest LNG-powered cruise liner, completed sea trials in Biscay Bay (Atlantic Ocean) at the weekend. The operation included testing the performance of the engines, fuel consumption, safety systems, maneuverability, max speed and stopping distances.
On June 20th, the 5000-passenger ship MSC Euribia was floated out and moved to a wetdock for outfitting works. Euribia is currently scheduled to join the MSC fleet in June 2023.
MSC Group (the world's largest container-shipping company) has invested EUR 3 billion in 3x LNG-powered cruise vessels. The construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique (fka STX France) in Saint-Nazaire (France) of the 3rd unit - ‘World Class 2’ - is scheduled to start in early 2023.
MSC World Europa (initially announced as "MSC Europa") is the first in a 4-unit "MSC WORLD Class" series of passenger liners designed and built for MSC. The first vessel (Europa) will be followed by a sistership (still unnamed) launched in 2024. The two optional vessels (if ordered by 2022) will be launched in the years 2025 and 2027.
MSC Euribia is MSC's thrird/last Meraviglia Plus-class boat - with sisterships MSC Grandiosa (2019) and MSC Virtuosa (2021). The MSC's 22nd ship Euribia is currently under construction in France and scheduled for delivery in May and inauguration in June 2023. Meraviglia-Plus vessels are an upgraded (enlarged design) version of the previous Meraviglia-Class boats MSC Meraviglia (2017) and MSC Bellissima (2019).