By
Laura Hyde |
MSC Group’s Cruise Division - which includes MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys - saved 50,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2024 after implementing fleet-wide optimisation tools, according to its 2024 Sustainability Report.
These tools (OptiCruise and Oceanly Performance) supported real-time operational efficiency and itinerary planning for the group’s 24 ships. The group is on track to achieve the International Maritime Organization’s target of a 40 per cent reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 (compared to 2008 levels) and has achieved an improvement of 38.9 per cent since 2008.
The release of the sixth edition of the report on 31 July 2025 reaffirms the company’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The group’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP) outlines interim absolute emissions reduction targets, which are set at five-year intervals.
The report highlights milestones both MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys have reached in improving environmental innovation, responsible tourism and social impact. In total, the two brands carried 4.6 million guests and sailed 341 itineraries in 90 countries in 2024. They also provided more than 4,500 shore excursions (in 84 countries), including 284 low environmental impact experiences, known as ‘Protectours’.
According to the report the group increased its shore power connections from 44 in 2023 to 143 in 2024. All new ships built for MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys since 2017 are equipped with shore power capabilities, and the group is retrofitting the systems across the remainder of its fleet. The group’s ETP includes a target of 250 shore power connections in 2025.
In 2024, MSC Group’s Cruise Division increased its crew retention rate to 89 per cent, up from 83 per cent in 2023. It also formed a Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Committee to ensure equity for its workforce, which includes people of more than 140 nationalities.
Whale strike prevention training was provided to 469 key crew members in 2024, in conjunction with marine protection charity ORCA. It helped crew to understand the species of whale at risk, how to identify them and how to take steps to reduce the risk.
MSC Group Cruise Division has continued to invest in environmental stewardship, particularly at its private island destination, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The report highlights how these investments have enabled marine wildlife to thrive, and coral restoration is underway.
“As a family business, we do not operate ships just for tomorrow,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division. “We sail them for future generations, designed for fuel flexibility, guided by innovation, and powered by people who share our long-term vision. The Cruise Division in 2024 reaffirmed its commitment to advancing a bold and transparent sustainability strategy that balances environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic resilience. There is no single solution to decarbonisation; it is a puzzle we solve piece by piece – with new technology, operational excellence, strong partnerships and a shared commitment to move forward.”
Read the full 2024 Sustainability Report on the MSC Group Cruise Division website.