MSC Group’s Cruise Division has confirmed orders for two hydrogen-powered vessels for its luxury travel brand, Explora Journeys, with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
The deal completes a total investment of €3.5 billion in six luxury ships for Explora Journeys, subject to access to financing as per industry practice. The ships will have new state-of-the-art energy efficiency measures and be capable of using alternative fuels such as bio and synthetic gas and methanol.
The Cruise Division will work with Fincantieri to equip the ships with future technologies including carbon capture and more advanced waste management systems.
The two new ships will pursue the use of liquid hydrogen with fuel cells for hotel operations while docked in ports to eliminate carbon emissions. They will also feature a new generation of LNG engines that will further tackle the issue of methane slip with the use of containment systems.
Explora Journeys’ first ship, EXPLORA I, was delivered by Fincantieri in July 2023 and is currently operating in Northern Europe. The ships will enter service in summer 2024, operate until April 2025 in the Mediterranean Sea, Middle East, Indian Ocean, and Africa, visiting 82 ports in 26 countries.
Together with Fincantieri we will study the newest technology that the world has to offer and continue with our commitment to introduce these technologies to drive efficiencies across the whole spectrum of ship performance.
… said Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman – Cruise Division, MSC Group
The relevance of the partnership with MSC in this sense is a great strategic stimulus towards the future in line with the technological development goals set out in our new business plan.
… added Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer, Fincantieri
Construction of LNG-powered EXPLORA III will begin in summer 2026, and construction of LNG-powered EXPLORA IV will begin in January 2024 and be completed in early 2027.
