World-class cruise ship

Class overview
Builders
OperatorsMSC Cruises
Preceded bySeaside class
Built2019–2027 (planned)
Planned4
Building2
Completed1
Active1
General characteristics
TypeCruise ship
Tonnage205,700–215,863 GT
Length333.3 m (1,093.5 ft)
Beam47.0 m (154.3 ft)
Height68.0 m (223 ft)
Decks22
Propulsion2 five-bladed propellers and 7 thrusters being 4 bow and 2 stern
Speed22.7 knots (42.0 km/h; 26.1 mph)
Capacity6,762 passengers
Crew2,138

The World class is a class of cruise ships being built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique of France for MSC Cruises. There are four vessels planned, with the lead vessel, MSC World Europa, delivered in 2022.

History

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Planning

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In April 2016, MSC Cruises unveiled a new class of cruise ships that it calls the World class after it signed a letter of intent for up to four World-class vessels from STX France, an order worth approximately €4.5 billion, at Élysée Palace.[1][2][3] The announcement came after MSC revealed it had already finalized the order for two of the ships.[1] The World-class design would become the third new prototype ordered by MSC in recent years, following its commitments to the Meraviglia and Seaside classes.[1] Details also initially revealed that each ship in the class was estimated to measure approximately over 200,000 gross tonnage (GT) and house over 2,700 cabins for a guest capacity of around 5,400 passengers, making the World-class ships part of the second largest class of cruise ships in the world.[1] MSC also announced all ships in the class would be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).[1]

Timeline

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The ships were originally expected to be delivered in 2022, 2024, 2025, and 2026, respectively.[1] The contract for the final two ships, now set to be delivered in 2025 and 2027, respectively, was signed in January 2020.[4]

On 31 October 2019, MSC announced the name of the first World-class ship as MSC Europa and held the ship's steel-cutting ceremony at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, inaugurating the construction for the ship.[5] The ship was later revealed to be renamed MSC World Europa, announced during her keel-laying ceremony on 29 June 2020.[6]

Design and specifications

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In May 2017, at the delivery ceremony of MSC Meraviglia held at the STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, MSC Cruises released new details and renderings of the class of ships.[7] In the announcement, MSC revealed that each of the four ships it had ordered would hold a guest capacity of 6,850 passengers across 2,760 passenger cabins, more than any cruise ship.[7][2] Each ship would measure 330 metres (1,082 ft 8 in) long and 47 metres (154 ft 2 in) wide and integrate a "Y"-shape hull design for expansive views and a "G"-shape bow design for fuel efficiency and stability.[7][2] Initial features announced included square cabins, a glass pool lounge, and sections designed specifically for families.[7][2] The aft of the ships would also be open, with the lower promenade deck flanked by balcony cabin towers.[7] MSC World Europa eventually had a gross tonnage of 215,863.[4]

As all ships are designed to be powered by LNG, this would reportedly allow them to sail with a 99% decrease in sulfur dioxide emissions, an 85% decrease in nitric oxide emissions, and a 20% decrease in carbon dioxide emissions, when compared with non-LNG-powered ships.[4] MSC World Europa will also become the world's first ship to implement an LNG-powered fuel cell.[8] The 50-kilowatt fuel cell demonstrator aboard the ship will incorporate solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology and use LNG to produce onboard electricity and heat and reportedly further reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% compared with conventional LNG engines.[8]

Ships

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Ship Delivery Gross tonnage Flag IMO number Building number Notes Image
MSC World Europa 24 October 2022 215,863[9] Malta 9837420 W34 First ship in the class.[10]
MSC World America 2024 (planned)[1] 205,700[4] 9837432 X34 Second ship in the class.

Originally planned for spring 2024.[11] Construction started on 24 October 2022.[12][13] Floating hull section built at CRIST, Gdynia.[14]

Floated out in August 2024.[15]

MSC World Asia 2025 (planned)[4] 205,700[4] 9901556 Y34 Third ship in the class.

Order announced in November 2023.[16]
Construction started on 9 April 2024[17]

TBA 2027 (planned) [4] 205,700[4] 9901568 Z34 Fourth ship in the class.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g Leppert, Jason (6 April 2016). "MSC Cruises Orders Up to Four New World-Class Ships". Travel Pulse. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Kalosh, Anne (31 May 2017). "MSC Cruises reveals novel look of its LNG World-class newbuilds". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  3. ^ Kalosh, Anne (6 April 2016). "It's official: MSC plans 4 'World Class' LNG ships at STX France". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h McCarthy, Daniel (21 January 2020). "MSC Cruises Adds Two World Class Vessels, New Ship Class to Expansion Plans". Travel Market Report. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  5. ^ Williamson, Jeannine (31 October 2019). "MSC Cruises Cuts Steel for First of its World Class Ships, Reveals Name as MSC Europa". Cruise Critic. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  6. ^ Kalosh, Anne (29 June 2020). "Chantiers de l'Atlantique lays keel for LNG-powered MSC World Europa". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d e Tribou, Richard (2 June 2017). "MSC Cruises lays out plans for massive World Class of cruise ships". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on 8 April 2019.
  8. ^ a b Kalosh, Anne (31 October 2019). "In a world first, MSC Europa to get LNG-powered fuel cell". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  9. ^ "MSC World Europa". msccruisesusa.com. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  10. ^ Chantiers de l’Atlantique to integrate the first lng-operated fuel cell onboard an MSC Cruises ship, 31 October 2019, retrieved 18 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Chantiers de l'Atlantique : Le point sur l'activité et les perspectives". 15 April 2021.
  12. ^ "MSC CRUISES CUTS STEEL ON MSC WORLD AMERICA, SECOND INNOVATIVE WORLD CLASS SHIP". 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  13. ^ "MSC Names Next New Ship World America". 24 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Stocznię CRIST S.A. opuścił kolejny megablok statku budowanego dla francuskiego zamawiającego" (in Polish). 17 September 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  15. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (29 August 2024). "Saint-Nazaire: le paquebot MSC World America transféré au bassin C". Mer et Marine (in French).
  16. ^ 13/11/23 MSC Cruises confirme à Chantiers de l’Atlantique la commande pour deux nouveaux navires de la série « World Class », 13. November 2023, retrieved 14 May 2024 (english).
  17. ^ MSC CRUISES AND CHANTIERS DE L’ATLANTIQUE MARK TWO IMPORTANT MILESTONES FOR WORLD CLASS SHIPS (9 April 2024)
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