Contracts for third and fourth MSC World Class ships

Shipping company MSC Cruises has placed an order with France's Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard worth about 2 billion euros to build two cruise liners. The contract was announced by the companies in the presence of French Prime Minister Mr Edouard Philippe. The contract formed part of the "Choose France" drive, which is an annual investment event created by President Emmanuel Macron to draw business leaders to France en route to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique said it has signed firm contracts for construction of third and fourth ships in the MSC World Class series which will be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The World Class vessels are 330m long and carriy 6,850 passengers in 2,760 cabins. The latest two ships ordered will be delivered in 2025 and 2027.

The first of the initial two ships in the class is currently under construction at Chantiers’ shipyard in Saint Nazaire and is due to enter service in 2022. With 205,000gt, it will be among the biggest vessels operated by a European cruise line as well as the first LNG-powered cruise ship built in France. Compared with standard marine fuel, LNG combined with other energy saving measures decreases sulphur emissions and particulate matter by 99% as well as carbon dioxide emissions by 25% when used to propel large cruise ships, the yard said. “These contracts represent a capital investment by MSC Cruises exceeding 2 billion euros and are expected to generate with the shipyard and its suppliers 14 million additional working hours, amounting to over 2,400 full-time-equivalent jobs for the next three and a half years, directly supported by those orders,” the yard added.