MSC Cruises plans to run the first net zero greenhouse gas emissions voyage next week.
The liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered MSC Euribiawill sail from Saint-Nazaire shipyard in France to its naming ceremony in Copenhagen.
The four day journey by the 22nd vessel in the fleet aims to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions to demonstrate that net zero cruising is possible today.
MSC Euribia will depart the French port on June 3 and is scheduled to arrive in the Danish capital on June 7.
The company has MSC Cruises purchased 400 tonnes of bio-LNG.
It claims to be the industry’s first ocean cruise operator to buy bio-LNG as a fuel source that has “significant lifecycle emissions reductions”.
The speed and itinerary of the ship’s maiden voyage has been designed specifically to optimise the configuration and loads of the engines to minimise fuel consumption, according to the line.
MSC Cruises’ shore-based energy efficiency experts based in London will continuously monitor and optimise all systems on board to minimise energy demand and identify additional opportunities to improve energy efficiency in real-time.
Executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “This industry-first net zero gas emissions voyage of our latest flagship MSC Euribia heralds another significant step on our decarbonisation journey and demonstrates more than anything the extent of our commitment.
“We cannot do this alone, however. Given the absolute importance of alternative fuels for our industry as well as for other sectors across civil society to achieve decarbonisation, we all need to work together to increase their availability at scale.
“Our purchase of bio-LNG will send a clear and meaningful signal to the market that there is demand from cruise lines and the broader maritime industry for cleaner fuels, but we need governments, producers and end-users to collaborate and scale-up the availability of these much-needed and new sources of power.”
Senior vice president Michele Francioni added: “MSC Euribia’s first voyage will be an incredible feat and represents years of commitment and determination. It should prove that we have the capability to operate on a net zero greenhouse gas emissions basis with existing ship technology.
“This is just the beginning. We are committed to this transition and putting in place everything we can do to facilitate it.
“It cannot be done without alternative fuels such as bio-LNG, e-LNG, green hydrogen or green methanol being made widely available at scale to fully realise the vision of net zero cruising.”