MSC Cruises And Chantiers de l’Atlantique Mark Three World Class Ship Milestones In Saint-Nazaire
MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique today marked significant milestones for three World Class ships in Saint-Nazaire, France, with the delivery of MSC World America, the coin ceremony of MSC World Asia and steel cutting for the newly named MSC World Atlantic.
In attendance was Captain Gianluigi Aponte, Founder and Group Chairman of MSC, Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division and Chantiers de l’Atlantique General Manager, Laurent Castaing and the French Minister for Industry and Energy, Marc Ferracci, together with representatives of MSC Cruises’ new build team and workers from the shipyard who built the ship over the last 30 months.
MSC World America is the 23 ship in the cruise line’s modern fleet and is set to be officially named on 9 April in the U.S. at the company’s new state-of-the-art MSC Miami Cruise Terminal, the largest in the world. The new ship offers new venues and concepts tailored specifically to the U.S. market, combining the brand’s signature European style with American comfort.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division, MSC Group, said, “Today is a proud moment for all of us at MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique as we mark these major milestones in the development of our fleet. Our new flagship is a testament to our long-standing, innovative partnership spanning over 20 years, resulting in five groundbreaking prototypes and 19 ships. Together, we continue to push boundaries, combining cutting-edge design, the latest technologies, and a richness of experiences to set new standards in cruising and always striving to further improve the environmental performance of each ship. We look forward to raising the bar even higher with the upcoming MSC World Asia and MSC World Atlantic.”
Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique, added, “It is with great emotion that we are marking today not one, but three MSC World Class ships. Continuous improvement of the onboard experience, ever more optimized energy performance—what a journey MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique teams have accomplished so far. To date, MSC World America has the best energy efficiency design index (EEDI) from the IMO, and therefore the lowest carbon footprint of the entire cruise industry… and we will go even further with the two sisterships we are celebrating today!”
Marc Ferracci, Minister of Industry and Energy of France, said, “Industrial excellence and a spirit of ambition are the hallmarks of Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Thanks to the privileged relationship with world leader MSC Cruises, and with the support of the State, the Saint Nazaire shipyards continue to make France and Europe shine across the seas. I pay tribute to the commitment and expertise of the men and women who work in this industrial sector essential for our sovereignty.”
The traditional coin ceremony for MSC World Asia also took place today, when commemorative coins were placed inside the ship as a sign of blessing during construction and to bring good fortune to the ship. Two godmothers, Marialuisa Iaccarino, VP Shore Excursions for MSC Cruises and Flavie Biondo, Chargé d’affaires for Chantiers de l’Atlantique did the honours as part of this maritime tradition.
MSC World Asia will enter service in winter 2026-27 with sailings in the Mediterranean to destinations in France, Italy, Spain and Malta.
MSC Cruises’ third celebration was a steel cutting ceremony to officially start the construction of the line’s fourth World Class ship, due to enter service in 2027. The ship’s name was revealed for the first time – MSC World Atlantic. The ship will be deployed in the Caribbean from Port Canaveral, U.S, from winter 2027-28.
The World Class prototype set new standards in cruising with the introduction of MSC World Europa in 2022, and the platform continues to evolve with each new ship incorporating innovations in design, technology and guest experience. Reflecting the global nature of MSC Cruises, the ships are named after the world’s continents and oceans, not necessarily indicating where they will be deployed. This naming convention underscores the line’s unparalleled destination offering, sailing to all parts of the world.
MSC World America is one of the most energy-efficient cruise ships in the world surpassing all design requirements under the International Maritime Organization’s Energy Efficiency Design Index. Her latest-generation engines run on LNG that enables a direct transition towards drop-in bio and synthetic renewable fuels.
The ship is also equipped with shore power to allow the engines to be switched off while in connected ports, such as the new MSC Cruise Terminal in Miami. Amongst a number of other features, the ship has an advanced wastewater treatment system and a comprehensive on-board recycling management plant, which combined, significantly reduce the waste output.
The Classification Society, Bureau Veritas, has awarded MSC World America its Platinum Pearl Award, in recognition of MSC Cruises’ 20-year commitment to health, safety and environmental protection throughout its fleet of ships.
The ship’s inaugural season from Miami starts on 12 April. She will sail alternating 7-night Eastern Caribbean itineraries to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, San Juan, Puerto Rico and MSC Cruises private island Ocean Cay and 7-night Western Caribbean voyages to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, Isla de Roatan, Honduras, and Ocean Cay.
(MSC Cruises And Chantiers De L’atlantique Mark Three World Class Ship Milestones In Saint-Nazaire)
