MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique shake hands on €3.5B deal for new LNG-fueled World Class duo

MSC Cruises, the cruise division of Swiss shipping giant MSC Group, has signed a ‘massive’ shipbuilding order with France-based Chantiers de l’Atlantique for the construction of two more liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered World Class-series units.

As disclosed, the order—worth a whopping €3.5 billion (roughly $4 billion)—was placed on November 12, bringing MSC Cruises’ total investment in the quartet booked in France so far this year to nearly €7 billion.

Moreover, alongside the World Class cruise vessels that are already being built, this brings the company’s direct investment (currently committed) in the country to €10.5 billion.

Owing to the fact that the newly booked vessels will be delivered equipped with an LNG dual-fuel propulsion system (one that is said to offer a “faster payback” for shipowners in comparison to other emerging fuel types, such as methanol), the seventh and eighth MSC Cruises’ additions to the roster are expected to act as ‘important’ links in the maritime industry player’s sustainability vision.

Once completed, the ships are reportedly planned to be handed over in 2031 and 2032, respectively.

The announcement regarding the shipbuilding order was made during the marking of MSC Cruises’ ‘double milestone’ event. To be precise, the company revealed details about the booking against the backdrop of the float-out of sister ship MSC World Asia and of the coin ceremony of MSC World Atlantic in Saint Nazaire, France. Both are presently being constructed at Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s yard.

Per MSC Cruises, now that the 333.3-meter-long MSC World Asia has touched the water for the first time, it will enter the next building phase. The ship is anticipated to be completed and delivered in November next year, ready to sail the Mediterranean, after which it will enter its regular cruising season the following month.

MSC World Atlantic, which will feature approximately the same size as the remainder of the series, is due to enter service in 2027. It will sail from Florida’s Port Canaveral to the Caribbean starting with the 2027-28 winter season, the company has shared.

The latest order that MSC Cruises has placed in France comes less than half a year since the company tapped the same shipbuilder under a separate contract worth €3.5 billion for another pair of World Class cruise vessels, namely the fifth and sixth units that are due for delivery in 2029 and 2030.

These two, alongside numbers seven and eight, are to join sister newbuilds that are already in service: MSC World Europa  and MSC World America. The former ship embarked on its maiden voyage in December 2022, whereas the latter was officially handed over to its owner in March 2025.