Fincantieri starts laying keel for 5,877-guest newbuild, which will start service in November 2022
By
Rebecca Gibson |
MSC Cruises has revealed that its second Seaside Evo-class ship will be christened MSC Seascape when she begins service in November 2022.
The name pays homage to the “beauty of the ocean and the ways in which guests will be able to enjoy the stunning sea views from the ship”. It was unveiled during the ship’s keel-laying ceremony at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy on 24 June. During the ceremony, two godmothers – Monica Somma, category manager for retail at MSC Cruises, and Jolette Vincenzi, production supervisor at Fincantieri – placed two coins on the keel to bring good fortune during the construction phase and when the ship is in service.
“The coin ceremony is one of the oldest maritime traditions and also for the shipbuilder it always represents a special moment,” said Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri. “With the welding, we address a good wish to future passengers and crew, who in this way symbolically board for the first time. I am sure that soon travellers will be able to sail the sea again as before, also on this splendid ship that is taking shape in our shipyard.”
MSC Cruises’ executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago attended the event in person alongside Bono and members of both companies’ management and project teams. It was held in full compliance with the current health regulations.
“The coins we lay today to mark a key construction milestone of one of our ships are an important symbol of our confidence in the cruise industry and the future of travel and tourism,” said Vago. “As a family-owned business, we can plan for the long term and make these commitments despite the challenging context we all face in the short term. When she joins our fleet, MSC Seascape will generate meaningful economic impact not only for the shipbuilding industry and its entire supply chain but also for all the ports and destinations that she reaches, strengthening coastal tourism and supporting the vital economic recovery of local communities.”
Like her sister MSC Seashore, the 5,877-guest MSC Seascape will represent a design evolution of the Seaside class – 65 per cent of her public spaces have been redesigned to improve the guest experience. The vessel will also offer 13,000 square metres of outdoor space to help connect guests with the sea, including a 540-metre-long waterfront promenade close to the water and a glass-floored Bridge of Sighs on deck 16. Other onboard highlights will include 11 dining venues, 19 bars and lounges, six swimming pools including an aft infinity pool, and a 3,000-square-metre MSC Yacht Club, which will be the largest and most luxurious in the MSC Cruises’ fleet. There will also be 2,270 cabins in 12 different categories, including suites with balconies.
MSC Seascape will also be equipped with multiple systems to reduce her environmental impact, including hybrid exhaust gas cleaning systems to removes 98 per cent of sulphur oxide from her emissions and selective catalytic reduction systems on each of her four Wartsila 14V 46F engines to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 90 per cent.
In addition, she will feature advanced wastewater treatment systems, waste management systems and ballast water treatment systems, as well as technology to prevent oil discharging from machinery spaces and an underwater radiated noise management system to reduce the potential effects on marine mammals. MSC Cruises will also introduce various technologies to improve energy efficiency across the vessel, such as heat recovery systems and LED lighting.
“MSC Seascape represents our continued investment in this yard and region as well as our drive to advance with our long-term vision to achieve net zero-impact cruise operations,” said Vago. “As with every new vessel that we build, we are equipping MSC Seascape with some of the latest environmental technologies and solutions, including cutting-edge emissions reduction and wastewater treatment systems. She will also break new ground in terms of guest entertainment and will be our first vessel to feature the dynamic and exciting RoboCoaster experience.”