• Construction begins on World Class 3 and new ship is officially named as MSC World Asia
Geneva, Switzerland - 9 April, 2024 – MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique today marked two important milestones in the construction of the futuristic and sophisticated World Class ships at Seatrade Cruise Global, held in Miami.
Work has officially commenced on World 3, due to be delivered in 2026, with the steel-cutting ceremony and as is tradition, MSC Cruises revealed the name of the new ship - MSC World Asia. The name follows the format of the World Class ships that pay homage to the different continents, symbolising the global nature of MSC Cruises and whilst details of where the ship will operate is still to be revealed, MSC World Asia will feature signature design touches, experiences and features inspired by this incredible continent.
Meanwhile, sister ship MSC World America completed another important milestone with the float out that took place on Sunday, 7 April at the shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France. The ultramodern flagship enters her final phase of construction ready to be officially named on 9 April 2025 at MSC Cruises’ new state-of-the-art, landmark terminal in PortMiami, with a celebratory sailing to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. The private island in The Bahamas is home to the MSC Foundation’s Super Coral Programme and has been designated a 'Hope Spot' by Mission Blue, the non-profit organisation founded by renowned oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle in recognition of conservation efforts on the island.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises commented, “MSC World America is another example of the incredible professional partnership between us and the Chantiers de l’Atlantique with whom we have designed five distinct and innovative prototypes – the most recent being the ground-breaking World Class platform. With each and every ship we strive to improve and enhance not only the environmental technology but also new features that enrich the experience for the guest as we design for the future holiday experience. MSC World Asia continues in this tradition and with this important milestone of the steel cutting we are pleased to confirm that she will offer even more advanced new features in terms of future-proof marine and onboard hospitality technologies as well as guest experiences.”
Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique commented, “We are very proud to begin construction on MSC World Asia. The third ship in the World Class series will feature cutting-edge technologies, making it one of the cleanest, most energy-efficient ships in the world. She embodies MSC Cruises’ and Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s long-term partnership and commitment toward the environment.”
MSC World America promises a new world of cruising with a whole host of new enriching and immersive features that are specially designed for all segments of the North American cruise market, from young couples through to multi-generational families. The ship will provide the comfort and breadth of experiences that guests from this market expect all whilst offering MSC Cruises’ hallmark high-quality, elegant European design.
The World Class ships are distinguished by their eye-catching silhouette and signature plumb bow rising vertically from the waterline, with a stylish Y-shaped aft that opens onto an impressive outdoor promenade. These ships are an ultramodern urban metropolis at sea offering a world of different experiences - spanning 22 decks, with more than 2,600 cabins and suites, offering more than 40,000m2 of public space and featuring MSC Cruises’ largest Yacht Club to-date. The exclusive “ship within a ship” concept offers unparalleled levels of comfort, with generous public space including a private lounge and restaurant, stylish suites and substantial outdoor areas with a sun-deck spanning two decks with panoramic views of the ocean.
MSC World Europa and MSC World America currently deliver one of the lowest carbon footprints of the cruise industry today, as per the International Maritime Organization’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and MSC World Asia will be an evolution of these high performing ships - with an even further reduced carbon footprint.
MSC World Asia will become the fourth LNG ship to join the MSC Cruises fleet and LNG continues to be seen as a critical pathway towards maritime decarbonisation. Fossil LNG offers immediate GHG emission reductions compared to conventional marine fuels and a direct pathway to drop in renewable substitutes like Bio and Synthetic LNG, which MSC Cruises’ LNG ships are ready to use today when the fuels become commercially available at scale.
New generation dual fuel internal combustion engines will help to reduce emissions and reduce methane slip by 30% versus current technology. MSC Cruises is part of an EU funded project GREEN RAY, that is working to minimise methane slip by developing new technologies that can be installed onto existing and new ships. Initial tests of the new combustion concept have shown encouraging results. The technologies will be tested and demonstrated for use on new build ships as well as retrofitting on existing ships.
MSC World America and MSC World Asia, as with all new MSC Cruises ships will be fitted with shore power connectivity as standard and where available ashore, this reduces emissions by allowing the ship’s engines to be switched off in port. Smart technology is used throughout the ship will ensure guests can travel in comfort while keeping energy and water use low. A robust onboard recycling programme minimizes waste, and even the propellors are designed to reduce noise and avoid disturbing marine life.
