As she enters the final stage of her construction process, MSC World Europa will be the largest LNG-powered cruise ship in the world when she launches later this year. This will be the world’s first contemporary cruise vessel to feature brand new solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) developed by MSC Cruises, Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Bloom Energy.
The ship will include a 150-kilowatt SOFC demonstrator that will generate auxiliary power to deliver efficiency gains and significant CO2 emissions reductions compared with traditional internal combustion engines. It will be a testbed to accelerate the development of fuel cell technology for contemporary cruise ships and offers a potential to enable hybrid propulsion solutions in the future.
Compared with standard marine fuels, LNG nearly eliminates air pollutant emissions, including sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and fine particles, and achieves a CO2 reduction of up to 25%. LNG will also enable the development of low-carbon fuels and solutions such as green hydrogen, bio-LNG, and fuel cells. Traditional marine fuels cannot support these upcoming solutions.
Wastewater technology
MSC World Europa features a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system that reduces NOx emissions by 90% when LNG is not available, and the ship must run on marine gas oil. As LNG fuel achieves a similar reduction, this ship will always meet International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) Tier III NOx emissions standards. On top of this, shore-to-ship power connectivity allows her to minimise engine use at ports where the required infrastructure is available.
As with all new MSC Cruises’ ships, MSC World Europa also features the latest wastewater treatment technology, in compliance with the IMO’s MEPC 227(64) Resolution, fully aligned with the world’s most stringent regulatory requirements – the so-called ‘Baltic Standard’. The ship includes an advanced ballast water treatment system that prevents the introduction of invasive species in the marine environment through ballast water discharges, in compliance with IMO’s Ballast Water Management Convention.
Three firm orders
MSC World Europa incorporates a wide range of equipment to optimise energy use throughout. These include smart ventilation and advanced air conditioning systems, with automated energy recovery loops, allowing effective distribution of heat and cold across the ship. LED lighting controlled by smart management systems further enhances the energy saving profile. In partnership with the shipyard, the ship has been designed with an innovative hull shape to minimise resistance through the water. It will also be fitted with enhanced automatic data collection systems for remote energy monitoring and advanced analysis, allowing real-time shoreside support to optimise operational efficiency onboard.
MSC Cruises has three firm orders for LNG-powered vessels, for delivery between 2022 and 2025, representing an overall investment of over EUR 3 billion. MSC World Europa will be followed by MSC Euribia, which is also currently under construction in Saint Nazaire and set to enter service in 2023. Construction of the third ship is set to commence in early 2023.