MSC Cruises takes delivery of the world’s largest LNG-powered cruise ship
The Cruise Division of MSC Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique celebrated the delivery of MSC World Europa, the world’s largest LNG-powered cruise ship and one of the first to incorporate fuel cell technology, according to the company's release.
The ceremony marked the next step in a long-term and successful partnership between the two companies, which has resulted in the building of the most innovative and environmentally advanced cruise ship to date for the MSC Cruises fleet. On top of immediate ground-breaking advances in terms of reduction of emissions and energy efficiency, MSC World Europa also paves the way towards the uptake of carbon-neutral synthetic and other alternative fuels as soon as they are available at scale.
MSC World Europa is the first from the trail-blazing World Class ships from MSC Cruises. She is an ultramodern urban metropolis at sea that represents the future of cruising and offers a world of different experiences pushing the boundaries of what is possible at sea - setting a new standard for the cruise industry.
MSC World Europa is the world’s first contemporary cruise ship to feature brand new solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The ship will include a 150-kilowatt SOFC demonstrator that will use LNG to produce electricity and heat on board in a highly efficient way by means of an electrochemical reaction. It will be a testbed to accelerate the development of fuel cell technology for contemporary cruise ships and offers a potential to enable hybrid propulsion solutions in the future.
Compared to standard marine fuels, LNG nearly eliminates air pollutant emissions, including sulphur oxides and fine particles, greatly reduces nitrogen oxides, and already achieves a CO2 reduction of up to 25%. LNG will also enable the development of low-carbon fuels and solutions such as green hydrogen, synthetic-LNG, and fuel cells.
In partnership with the shipyard, MSC World Europa has been designed with an innovative hull shape to minimise resistance through the water.
MSC World Europa also incorporates a wide range of equipment to optimise energy use throughout the ship. These include smart ventilation and advanced air conditioning systems, with automated energy recovery loops, allowing effective distribution of heat and cold across the ship. The ship uses LED lighting throughout the ship, controlled by smart management systems to further enhance the energy saving profile.
It will also be fitted with enhanced automatic data collection systems for remote energy monitoring and advanced analysis, allowing real-time shoreside support to optimise operational efficiency onboard.
These efficiency advances, and the use of LNG, will enable an operational performance far higher that the IMO-required energy design criteria for new ships. MSC World Europa is designed to perform 47% better than its Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) required by regulation.
MSC World Europa is equipped with an advanced wastewater treatment system (AWTS) that meets the world’s highest regulatory requirements, including the so-called Baltic standard. It treats all wastewater produced onboard to close to tap water standards. The ship also includes a state-of-the-art ballast water treatment system that prevents the introduction of invasive species in the marine environment through ballast water discharges, in compliance with IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention.
In addition, MSC World Europa features a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system that reduces NOx emissions by 90% when LNG is not available, and the ship must run on marine gas oil. As LNG fuel achieves a similar reduction, MSC World Europa will always be ready to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Tier III NOx emissions standards. Like all MSC Cruises’ new builds, the ship is fitted with shore power capability, which allows for us to minimise engine use at ports where the required infrastructure is available.
MSC World Europa’s hull and engine room have been designed to minimise acoustic underwater sound impact, reducing the potential impact on marine mammals in the surrounding waters.
Key figures:
Gross Tonnage – 215,863
Length – 333.3m
Width – 47m
Height – 68m
Passenger cabins – 2,626
Passenger Capacity – 6,762
Engines and fuels:
5 Wärtsilä 14V 46DF engines dual-fuel engines, that can run on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and on low-sulphur marine gasoil (MGO)
150-kW solid oxide fuel cell demonstrator
Air Emissions:
Selective catalytic reduction system that reduces NOx emissions by 90% when the ship runs on MGO (LNG offers a similar NOx reduction); MSC World Europa is capable of meeting IMO’s Tier III standards regardless of the fuel it uses
