By
Alex Smith |
MSC Cruises has officially taken delivery of MSC Seashore, the largest ship to be built in Italy, from shipbuilder Fincantieri.
A ceremony was held at the shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, and was attended by MSC Cruises’ executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago and Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Finacntieri, along with representatives of MSC’s newbuilds team and workers from the shipyard. During the ceremony, Roberto Olivari, Fincantieri’s shipyard director, presented Giuseppe Galano, master of MSC Seashore, with an ampoule containing the water which first touched the hull when the ship was floated out earlier in the year.
“MSC Seashore is the fourth cruise ship that we have delivered in Italy during this still extremely demanding year, demonstrating the effectiveness of our production and management system,” said Bono. “All these milestones, and others to come, have been successfully achieved and this is never taken for granted. This is why I consider this ship not only the best symbol of recovery for the whole cruise sector, but also of the capability of the Group to leverage its competences and soundness to fully preserve our workload.”
MSC Seashore is the first Seaside EVO ship, building upon the design of the Seaside-class ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview. The ship offers 13,000 square metres of outdoor space, while 65 per cent of her public areas have been redesigned. She has capacity for 5,877 guests, accommodated in 2,270 cabins.
The ship also features new environmental technologies and equipment, including hybrid gas cleaning systems and selective catalytic reduction systems to achieve a 98 per cent reduction in sulphur oxide emissions and a 90 per cent fall in nitrogen oxide emissions. As a result, she has received the Sustainable Ship notation from classification society RINA, which is assigned to vessels which demonstrate that they meet sustainability requirements that reflect the goals adopted by the United Nations. She has also achieved the requirements for the Biosafe Ship notation, which certifies that the ship has been equipped with systems and components that reduce infection risk, along with an acceptable layout and operational procedures.
“The construction of MSC Seashore is an investment that generates a direct and indirect economic impact of almost 5 billion euros on the Italian economy,” said Vago. “She is without doubt our most stunning and sophisticated vessel to date and takes to a whole new level the already successful Seaside platform, with public spaces completely reimagined, a new secondary lounge and a broader offering both in terms of restaurants and retail options amongst many other new and much improved features.”
MSC Seashore will begin her inaugural season in the Mediterranean offering the ‘Six Pearls’ itinerary, calling at the Italian ports of Genoa and Naples, Messina in Sicily, Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain, and Marseille in France. She will then depart Genoa on 31 October for an 18-night cruise to North America, after which she will offer seven-night cruises in the Caribbean.