By
Alex Smith |
The cruise division of MSC Group is expanding its shore power plan, adding at least 15 new ports for its vessels to use to receive shoreside electricity between 2024 and 2026.
The new plan includes at least five Italian ports, along with Barcelona and Valencia in Spain; Stavanger and Norfjordied in Norway; Miami, USA; Copenhagen, Denmark; Marseille, France; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Valletta, Malta and Stockholm, Sweden.
Using shore power removes the need to keep a ship’s engine running while in port, reducing emissions from the vessel. MSC Group intends for all of its cruise ships to use shore power facilities when they are made available
“Shore power is an important factor on our journey towards net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) operations,” said Linden Coppell, vice president of sustainability and environmental, social and governance for MSC Cruises. “All of our newbuilds since 2017 are equipped with the ability to plug into local power grids and we are rolling out retrofits on the other vessels in our fleet. Our shore power plan actively demonstrates our ambition and that we are fully committed to reduce emissions from our ships, including while in ports.”
MSC Cruises’ ships have used shore power at the ports of Southampton in the UK and Kristiansand in Norway since February 2023. Later this year, the brand will test the facilities at the Norwegian port of Haugesund, and other trials are planned for MSC ships at Bergen and Alesund in Norway and Warnemunde in Germany.
As previously planned, MSC Cruises will also use shore power in the German ports of Hamburg in Winter 2023 and at Kiel in Summer 2024. The cruise line also signed a memorandum of understanding with trade association Cruise Baltic for shore power in the Baltic Sea area. Cruise Baltic has 32 ports and destinations in its region that are committed to increase the number of shore power facilities.
Shore power technology has been fitted on all of MSC Cruises’ ships as standard since 2017 and 67 per cent of MSC Cruises total capacity has now been equipped with the technology, with more ships to be retrofitted. All of Explora Journeys’ ships will also feature shore power capabilities, with its first vessel, Explora I, coming into service on 17 July 2023.