Wearable technology will enable MSC Cruises to track and trace passengers on board MSC Grandiosa, one of the first cruise ships to resume sailings in the Mediterranean during the pandemic.
Proximity and contact tracing on board the ship will be based on smart wearables for all passengers and crew that will collect data related to interactions on board and ashore during excursions.
The company’s health and safety measures are supported by industry-leading technology to facilitate a contactless experience, “to provide guests with important and relevant information as and when they need it, as well as monitor and protect their health during their time on board”.
The line said: “The complete history of all contacts between guests, guests with crew and among crew members can be traced and identify anyone on board who may have been exposed to a positive or suspected positive Covid-19 case.
“This will guarantee an immediate response from the ship’s medical team. All of the data will be treated according to GDPR regulations and will be destroyed after 30 days.”
The ‘MSC for Me’ app will support new health and safety measures on board.
The app can be used to book services, as well as to manage passengers’ daily activities on board and source information.
The wristband also works to allow for guests to be identified when making contactless transactions, to open cabin doors, to find out information or book services on interactive screens around the ship.
MSC Grandiosa set sail on its first cruise this week after a pause in operations over Christmas.
“For guests on board MSC Magnifica, we will utilise cruise card transactions, reservation information for activities and close circuit camera footage for public areas to identify any possible close contacts,” the company added while referring to its second ship in operation in the Med.
The track and trace initiative was disclosed as the company revealed an ambitious environmental commitment to become a zero-impact operation.
While no timetable was provided, the line is partnering with several industry leaders in a research project that promotes low-carbon shipping by combining progressive energy technologies and innovative ship design. The consortium is in line to receive “significant funding” from a European Union framework programme for research and innovation.
The initiative comes ahead of the delivery of MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore this year.
Both ships will feature hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems and cutting-edge selective catalytic reduction systems, claiming to achieve a 98% reduction of sulphur oxide emissions and reducing nitrogen oxide emissions by 90%.
Their wastewater treatment systems have been designed to achieve purification standards that are higher than most wastewater treatment facilities ashore.
The new builds will also be equipped with shore-to-ship power connectivity, allowing them to connect to local power grids in ports where this infrastructure is available.
Executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “Our long-term goal is to achieve a zero-impact cruise operation and this is the journey we are on today.
“As we work with our partners to identify new technologies that will bring us closer to this goal with each new ship that we build and bring into service, we continue to equip our ships with the latest and most effective technologies in the market.”
He added: “We are delighted to partner with other industry leaders in their fields to together research and develop new solutions that will support the road to decarbonisation of shipping.
“This is another example of our commitment to the accelerated development of next-generation environmental technologies and solutions.”
Looking ahead, MSC World Europa, the company’s first ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) will be delivered in 2022 and work will begin the year on a second, which will become the fifth Meraviglia class ship.
As sustainable, non-fossil-based fuels like bio LNG become available at scale, MSC Cruises anticipates “widespread deployment” on its LNG-powered ships to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainability director Linden Coppell said: “Every new ship that joins our fleet incorporates solutions to minimise our environmental footprint.
“MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore will be no exception. As new technologies are identified, we also work to improve the existing fleet, investigating retrofit opportunities, incorporating new energy reduction measures, working extensively with industry experts and seeking out drop-in alternative fuels to achieve the ambitious carbon intensity reduction goals of our industry.”.