MSC Group cruise ships will plug into the shoreside electricity grid in at least 15 new ports between 2024 and 2026 as the company aims to further cut emissions.
The new 2024-26 shore power plan includes at least five Italian ports; Barcelona and Valencia in Spain; Stavanger and Norfjordied, Norway; Miami, US; Copenhagen, Denmark; Marseille, France; Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Valletta, Malta and Stockholm, Sweden.
Ships from the MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys fleet will use shore power facilities at other ports when they are made available.
Using shore power removes the need to keep a ship’s engine running and reduces in-port emissions from the vessel.
Since February MSC Cruises’ ships have used shore power at the ports of Southampton and Kristiansand, Norway.
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Later this summer the company will test the facilities at the Norwegian port of Haugesund. Other European trials this year are planned for MSC Cruises’ ships at Bergen and Alesund in Norway and Warnemunde in Germany.
MSC Cruises will also use shore power in the German ports of Hamburg this winter and at Kiel in summer 2024.
MSC Cruises last year signed a memorandum of understanding with Cruise Baltic for shore power in the Baltic Sea.
Shore power capability has been fitted on all MSC Cruises’ new ships since 2017 and, together with retrofits completed on other vessels, 67% of MSC Cruises’ total capacity is equipped with the technology.
More ships will be retrofitted as the ports on their sailing itineraries make shore power available.
All Explora Journeys’ ships will also feature shore power capabilities. Explora I, the first ship in the new brand’s fleet, will first come into service on July 17.
Linden Coppell, vice-president of sustainability & ESG at MSC Cruises, said: “Shore power is an important factor on our journey towards net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) operations.
“Our shore power plan actively demonstrates our ambition and that we are fully committed to reduce emissions from our ships, including while in ports.”
Pictured: MSC’s newest ship, MSC Euribia
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