10 Pushing the boundaries Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises tells Rebecca Gibson how the company is helping to lead the cruise industry into a new era with its high-tech ships, pioneering environmental sustainability technologies and commitment to continually redefining the guest experience MSC Cruises’ 6,327-guest MSC Euribia marked a “paradigm shift for cruising” when it sailed the world’s first net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions cruise in June 2023. The vessel embarked on a fourday maiden voyage from Chantiers de l’Atlantique’s shipyard in Saint-Nazaire, France, to Copenhagen, Denmark, powered by bio-LNG fuel on a mass balance basis that had been produced from food waste. Onboard teams used various technologies to optimise the vessel’s speed profile, routing, trim, engine configuration, HVAC system, galleys, lighting, hotel operations, and more, which meant MSC Euribia only had to use two of its four engines. Meanwhile, all the required heat for galleys, heating systems and hot water was recovered from the ship’s engines, eliminating the need to use the boilers. Consequently, MSC Euribia saved 43 tonnes of fuel, performing 11 per cent better than its digital twin – a virtual replica of the ship simulating optimal onboard energy use. “MSC Euribia is one of the world’s most energy-efficient cruise ships and this pioneering voyage proved that with the right technologies and fuel, it is possible to achieve net-zero GHG emissions cruising today,” says Vago. “Cruise brands are already implementing new technologies to optimise operations and cut energy consumption, but we can’t achieve consistent net zero-emission cruising because cost-efficient renewable fuels are not yet widely available.” According to Vago, MSC Euribia’s trial cruise demonstrated the growing demand from the cruise sector and the wider maritime industry for renewable fuels such as bio-LNG, synthetic LNG (known as e-LNG), green hydrogen or green methanol. He is campaigning for both regulators and governments to spearhead the renewable fuel agenda by developing an industry-wide strategy. “When I first started talking about building large LNG-powered cruise ships for long itineraries 10 years ago, people looked at me like I was insane,” says Vago. “Today, there are multiple cruise brands operating or building LNG-powered vessels, so we need energy providers who can produce renewable fuels and with appropriate delivery systems around the world. “Governments and international organisations must lead the way by creating regulatory and financial incentives and encouraging cruise operators, fuel providers, technology companies, ports and other key stakeholders to combine resources so we can build the necessary infrastructure and supply chain quickly. This, combined with continued technological advancements, will accelerate the decarbonisation of the industry and enable us to achieve consistent net-zero emissions cruising by the 2050 ambition set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).” In the meantime, MSC Cruises will continue to search for new technologies and solutions to optimise energy use on its existing and upcoming ships. “For years, our teams have been continuously analysing our operational data and processes to identify every possible opportunity for making energyefficiency improvements onboard our fleet to cut energy consumption, fuel use and emissions,” says Vago. “We’ve invested in new technologies, changed the size and type of our engines, trialled fuel cells, improved how we operate HVAC, switched to LED lights, automated various onboard systems, installed advanced water treatment systems, introduced waste and recycling initiatives, and much more. We’re also educating our crew members and guests about environmental sustainability to KEYNOTE
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