The French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique (fka STX France) and MSC Cruises celebrated today, October 24, the delivery of MSC World Europa, the world's largest LNG-powered cruise vessel and one of the first to incorporate the latest fuel cell technology.
The official ceremony marked the next step in a long-term partnership between the two companies, which resulted in the building of the most environmentally advanced cruise ship to date for MSC Cruises. On top of ground-breaking advances in terms of energy efficiency and reduction of emissions, MSC World Europa paves the way towards the uptake of carbon-neutral synthetic and alternative fuels as soon as they are available.
The 2022-built 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. World Europa will be followed by a sistership (still unnamed) planned for launch in 2024. The two optional vessels (if ordered by 2022) will be launched in the years 2025 and 2027.
World Class MSC ships are with a max passenger capacity of 6774 (5079 lower berths). Building cost per ship is EUR 1,125 billion (USD 1,255B). The shipbuilder is Chantiers de l'Atlantique (fka STX France). The shipbuilding order includes 2 initial units, plus 2 optional ones. Each vessel has Gross Tonnage/volume 153,516 (GT tons), LOA length 323 m (1060 ft), beam/width 41 m (135 ft), height 75 m (245 ft), draft 9 m (30 ft).
When was first announced by MSC (in April 2016), this ship design was planned with GT 205,000 tons, 2760 passenger staterooms, max passenger capacity of 6850 (the world's biggest by capacity). By GT tonnage/volume, MSC's World Class represents one of the world's largest passenger ships.
MSC World Europa is the first contemporary cruise ship to feature brand-new SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) technology powered by LNG. The ship will feature a 150-kilowatt SOFC demonstrator that will use LNG to produce electricity and heat onboard in a highly efficient way by means of an electrochemical reaction.
The newbuild is equipped with an advanced AWTS (wastewater treatment system) that meets the highest regulatory requirements in the world, including the so-called Baltic standard. It treats wastewater produced onboard to close to tap water standards.
MSC World Europa also features an SCR (selective catalytic reduction) system that reduces NOx emissions by ~90% when LNG is not available, and the vessel must run on marine gas oil.