MSC Cruises has released details of the next phase of its shore power plan. The plan will see the addition of at least 15 new ports between 2024 and 2026, allowing vessels to connect to shoreside electricity grids.
The use of shore power eliminates the need for ships to keep their engines running in port, significantly reducing in-port emissions.
The ports included in the new shore power plan include: five Italian ports, Barcelona and Valencia in Spain, Stavanger and Norfjordied in Norway, Miami in the USA, Copenhagen in Denmark, Marseille in France, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Valletta in Malta, and Stockholm in Sweden.
Both MSC Cruises and the company's new, small-ship luxury brand Explora Journeys are expected to utilize shore power facilities at other ports globally as they become available.
Linden Coppell, VP Sustainability & ESG, MSC Cruises, said, “Together with the use of LNG fuel, improving energy efficiency, utilizing innovative wastewater treatment and waste recycling, we are making positive strides in playing our part to address climate change and protect ocean biodiversity.”
Since FEB 2023, MSC Cruises’ ships have used shore power at the ports of Southampton, UK and Kristiansand, Norway and later this summer the company will test the facilities at the Norwegian port of Haugesund. Other European trials this year are planned for a range of MSC Cruises’ ships at Bergen and Alesund in Norway and Warnemunde in Germany. MSC Cruises will also use shore power in the German ports of Hamburg this winter and at Kiel in summer 2024.
Last year, MSC Cruises signed a memorandum of understanding with 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 capability has been fitted on all MSC Cruises’ new ships as standard since 2017 and together with retrofits completed on other vessels, 67 per cent of MSC Cruises’ total capacity is equipped with the technology. More ships will be retrofitted as the ports on their sailing itineraries make shore power available.
All Explora Journeys’ ships will also feature shore power capabilities. EXPLORA I, the first ship in the new brand’s fleet, will first come into service on 17JUL of this year.
MSC Cruises’ latest flagship, MSC Euribia, performed an industry-first earlier this month when she sailed from France to Denmark and demonstrated the potential to achieve net zero GHG emissions cruising through the use of renewable bio-LNG.
