The Cruise Division of MSC Group has confirmed firm orders for two hydrogen-powered vessels for its luxury travel brand Explora Journeys with the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.
MSC has also pledged to continue its push towards a 2050 net zero-carbon emissions target by investing in new environmental technologies for the luxury ships. The deal completes a total investment of €3.5 billion in six luxury ships for Explora Journeys.
The Explora V and Explora VI will have new efficiency measures and will also be capable of using alternative fuels such as bio and synthetic gas and methanol. MSC’s Cruise Division will work with Fincantieri in future to equip the ships with future technologies including carbon capture, and more advanced waste management systems.
The two new vessels on order will be delivered in 2027 and 2028.
“This new contract with MSC is a sign of the growing vitality of the cruise sector, in line with what we had predicted. In strategic terms, our future will depend on our ability to lead the evolution of the sector towards all energy and digital transition technologies with the entrepreneurship required to validate, industrialise and commercialise new solutions,” says Pierroberto Folgiero, chief executive officer, Financantieri.
Explora V and Explora VI will use of liquid hydrogen with fuel cells for their hotel operations while docked in ports to eliminate carbon emissions with the vessels’ engines switched off. The ships will also feature a new generation of LNG engines that will further tackle the issue of methane slip with the use of containment systems.
