MSC World Europa Achieves Milestone with First Shore Power Connection in Mediterranean

In a significant step towards environmental sustainability, MSC Cruises has announced a major achievement for MSC World Europa: its first successful shore power connection in the Mediterranean, at the port of Valetta, Malta. This event marks a notable first for the region and underscores MSC Cruises’ dedication to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Shore power, a key component of MSC’s strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, enables ships to connect to the local power grid. This eliminates the need to run the ship’s engines while in port, thus reducing direct emissions. The successful tests conducted earlier this year at Valletta were instrumental in refining the process for implementing shore power. MSC World Europa will now regularly use the shore power facilities during its calls in Valetta.

Since 2017, all new ships joining the MSC fleet have been equipped with shore power connections, and the company is actively retrofitting existing vessels. As more ports around the world introduce shore power facilities, MSC has been able to expand the use of this eco-friendly technology during its port calls.

Following successful shore power connections in Northern Europe, including ports in Germany, Norway, the UK, and the inauguration of a new facility in Kiel, Germany, the connection in Valetta represents a significant expansion of MSC’s environmental efforts.

MSC Cruises is planning to add at least 15 new ports with shore power capabilities to its network between 2024 and 2026, focusing on Italian ports such as Genoa, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples, and Trieste. Other key ports like Barcelona, Hamburg, Valencia, Marseille, Copenhagen, and Miami’s new cruise terminal are also part of this expansion.

Collaboration with port authorities is crucial for MSC in advancing sustainable maritime practices. The company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance shore power facilities in the Baltic Sea area and is pursuing similar agreements in the Mediterranean Sea.

Michele Francioni, SVP of Cost Optimisation & Process Improvement at MSC Cruises, emphasized the company’s commitment to reducing emissions, stating that shore power allows for the elimination of direct emissions while ships are berthed. He called for more ports to introduce shore power to further reduce local air emissions and affirmed MSC’s readiness to connect to these facilities wherever available.

MSC World Europa is a trailblazer in MSC’s fleet, being the first vessel powered by liquefied natural gas and incorporating advanced solid oxide fuel cell technology. This initiative demonstrates MSC Cruises’ dedication to leading the cruise industry towards a more sustainable future.