The MSC Group Cruise Division will next week take the industry's first net-zero greenhouse gas emissions voyage when its latest MSC Cruises flagship, the liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered MSC Euribia, leaves its shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France - where she is currently being built - on her way to her christening ceremony in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The new ship, the 22nd to join the MSC Cruises fleet, will sail for four days from Saint-Nazaire to Copenhagen and will achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions to demonstrate that net-zero cruises are possible today in day. The MSC Euribia will set sail from the French port on June 3 and is scheduled to arrive in the Danish city on June 7.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the MSC Group Cruise Division, stated: "This first net-zero voyage of our latest flagship, MSC Euribia, heralds another significant step in our decarbonisation journey and demonstrates the extent of our commitment. We are proud to share with the entire cruise industry, and the world, the lessons learned to make net zero emissions sailing possible."
MSC Cruises purchased 400 tonnes of bio-LNG to show its commitment to the deployment of drop-in renewable fuels and energy transition measures towards the pioneering journey of net zero gas emissions. MSC Cruises is the first ocean-going cruise operator in the industry to purchase bio-LNG as a fuel source with significant emissions reduction life cycle.
Mr Vago continued: "However, we cannot do it alone. Given the absolute importance of alternative fuels to our industry, as well as other sectors of civil society, to achieve decarbonisation, we all need to work together to increase their availability at scale Our purchase of bioLNG will send a clear and significant signal to the market that there is demand for new and cleaner fuels from cruise lines, but we need governments, producers and end-users to collaborate and increase the availability of these much-needed and vital sources of energy".
Net Zero Shipping will use bio-LNG through a mass balance system, the most environmentally efficient method of reaping the benefits of renewable biogas. The entire supply chain will be fully compliant with the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive, commonly known as RED II, and each individual batch of the total bioLNG produced has been certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification
.
Michele Francioni, Senior Vice President of MSC Cruises, added: "MSC Euribia's first voyage will be an incredible feat and represents years of commitment and determination. It will need to demonstrate that we have the ability to operate on a net zero emissions basis with ship technology existing".
"This is just the beginning. We are committed to this transition and doing everything we can to facilitate it. It cannot be done without alternative fuels such as green bio-LNG, e-LNG, hydrogen or methanol that are widely available at scale for fully realize the vision of net zero emissions cruises."
MSC Cruises is supported by the Nordic energy company Gasum for the net zero greenhouse gas emissions voyage, a leading biogas producer and processor of biodegradable waste fractions in the Nordic region. Gasum is specialized in the supply of cleaner energy for industry and maritime and road transport, in order to contribute to a future without carbon emissions. BioLNG is a pragmatic and readily available way to decarbonise shipping today.
The speed and itinerary of MSC Euribia's maiden voyage have been specifically designed to optimize engine configurations and loads in order to minimize fuel consumption. Energy efficiency specialists from both MSC Cruises and the shipbuilder, Chantiers de L'Atlantique, will be on board the net zero sailing to oversee and optimize all aspects of this voyage. They will work with Captain Stefano Battinelli and MSC Euribia Chief Engineer, Pasquale Mastellone.
MSC Cruises' energy efficiency experts on land, based in London, will continuously monitor and optimize all systems on board to minimize energy demand, identify additional opportunities to improve energy efficiency in real time, while maintaining a high comfort for all guests on board.
This will include a series of measures ranging from engine settings to the speed of individual air conditioning fans in guest cabins, along with itinerary and speed optimization.
All initiatives combined will save energy to reduce fuel consumption. MSC Cruises' new ships are fuel-flexible and can be adapted to a wide variety of renewable fuels, both those available today and those anticipated for the future. The use of fossil LNG already achieves up to a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional marine fuels, and virtually eliminates all sulfur oxide and particulate emissions, while reducing carbon oxides nitrogen by 85%.