15 bunkering facilities. The terminal has been designed in collaboration with globally renowned Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill and will be operated by MSC Cruises for 31 years. It is scheduled for completion at the end of 2024 and is expected to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification standards. “Barcelona is an important homeport for MSC Cruises in the West Mediterranean because it offers flight, road and rail connections to Europe and other international destinations,” says Vago. “The shore power facilities and LNG bunkering service at the terminal will allow us to homeport our newest and most environmentally friendly ships in the city, providing a great economic boost for the local economy.” MSC Cruises’ new terminal in Miami, Florida, will also have shore power capabilities. The facility, which is set to open in 2025 is being built in partnership with PortMiami, Miami-Dade County and Fincantieri Infrastructure for around $350 million. The four-storey building was designed by architecture firm Arquitectonica and will be able to accommodate up to three of MSC Cruises’ newest and biggest ships at once and handle 36,000 daily passenger movements per day. “It will be the largest cruise terminal not only in North America but in the world and will become an iconic new landmark that will be visible from both the water and downtown Miami,” says Vago. “We’ll use the latest facial recognition and luggage and security screening technologies to halve boarding times. The new facilities in both Barcelona and Miami, and the many other terminals we own and operate elsewhere in the world, will offer seamless embarkation and disembarkation experiences and the same high level of service guests expect on our ships.” In April 2025, the Miami terminal will host the christening ceremony of MSC Cruises’ new MSC World America, which is the second of four World-class ships to be built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The first vessel, MSC World Europa was named in Doha, Qatar, and has since sailed itineraries in the Middle East and West Mediterranean. The 6,762-guest MSC World America will be powered by LNG and offer luxurious suites and cabins, six speciality restaurants, four main restaurants, two buffets, a casual fast-food venue, 20 bars and lounges, multiple entertainment venues, a spa, six pools, and many other amenities. These onboard facilities will be spread across seven different districts, including the multi-storey indoor Galleria, high-tech entertainment area MSC Luna Park Arena, the Aqua Deck, the adultsonly Zen Area, The Terraces, the open-air World Promenade, the top-deck Family Aventura Park, and the brand’s largest-ever MSC Yacht Club, an exclusive ship-withina-ship complex open to select guests. “We’re seeing more multigenerational groups, so we wanted to create multiple districts with their own unique facilities and experiences to allow every guest to create their own perfect holiday,” says Vago, noting that he predicts guests will be particularly impressed by The Harbour. Located on the top deck in the Family Aventura district, The Harbour will have food and beverage outlets, a family dwelling area, a high ropes course and rock-climbing wall, and a playground modelled on the lighthouse at MSC Cruises’ private Bahamian island, Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. There will also be an aqua park with a 90-degree vertical drop slide, a raft slide featuring virtual MSC Cruises’ new terminal at PortMiami will be able to handle 36,000 daily passenger movements KEYNOTE Photo: MSC Cruises
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