MSC orders fifth LNG-fueled liner at STX France

MSC Cruises said it has ordered its fifth Meraviglia class liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled cruise ship at the STX France shipyard. 

Besides the dual-fuel engines designed to run on LNG, the vessel, scheduled for delivery in 2023 will also feature an advanced wastewater treatment system compliant with the world’s most stringent regulatory standards, MSC said in its statement.

This construction deal was unveiled at the ceremony held at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard where STX France and MSC Cruises reached three major shipbuilding milestones, the steel cutting ceremony of the 4th Meraviglia class vessel where MSC Cruises said that the ship will be named MSC Virtuosa, the coin ceremony of MSC Grandiosa and the float-out of MSC Bellissima.

For the first time in Saint-Nazaire’s history, three cruise ships belonging to a single cruise brand are under simultaneous construction at the shipyard.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pierfrancesco Vago, MSC Cruises’ executive chairman, said the fifth Maraviglia class liner “will be joined at sea by up to four LNG-powered ships.”

The agreement for the additional Meraviglia-Plus ship represents an additional investment of €900 million ($$1.06 billion), the company said in a statement.

The company further added that the MSC Bellissima will be christened in Southampton on March 2, 2019, followed by the christening of MSC Grandiosa in Hamburg in November 2019.