PARIS, 20 March 2014 – Today MSC Cruises signed a letter of intent (LOI) with STX France for the
construction of two new cruise ships, with an option for two more. The two ships will join
MSC Cruises’ fleet, currently counting 12 ships, all built in the Saint-Nazaire yards. The signature
took place at the Hôtel de L’Industrie, in Paris in the presence of Gianluigi Aponte, President of
MSC group, Laurent Castaing, General Manager of STX France and Pierre Moscovici,
French Minister of Economy and Finance. Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of
MSC Cruises, and Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises were also in attendance.
“Growth and development have always been the characteristics that have defined MSC since the
very beginning of our journey into the world of cruising. The launch of this prototype and the
building of these two new ships confirm our commitment to further growth and to further
development. MSC Cruises will expand its capacity by 31%: we will incredibly enrich our offer on
board and we will broaden our horizons to ensure we meet the growing global demand in every
region” said MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago. “Once again our
longstanding partnership with the STX yard has proved key for these plans”.
“We are really proud of building this new generation of ships for MSC Cruises, a long-time
appreciated partner. We invested a lot of R&D and design efforts to make sure that MSC Cruises’
new flagship would truly be unmatched. The latest commercial negotiation was particularly
challenging in the light of today’s global competitive landscape in the shipbuilding industry. I
would like to point out that the competitiveness agreement signed with our trade unions has been
decisive to reach this LOI signature” said Laurent Castaing, STX France General Manager.
The two units are due for delivery respectively in 2017 and 2019. 315 metres long and
43 metres wide, with a gross tonnage of about 167,600 tons, boasting 2,250 cabins for
guests, nearly 820 crew cabins, and accommodating 5,700 passengers and 1,536 crew
members.
“The new prototype will be the biggest cruise ship ever built by a European ship owner and the
most versatile and flexible of the world: not only will it be able to call in most of the ports and
destinations on earth, without compromise, but it will have extraordinary features that will make it
the perfect choice at sea, in summer and in winter. The two new ships will reaffirm MSC Cruise’s
dedication to outstanding and genuine dining options and out-of-this-world entertainment with
new panoramic spaces, a bigger theatre and a spectacular amusement park connected to an
outdoor aqua park as well as a two-deck “inside promenade” explained Gianni Onorato, CEO of
MSC Cruises.
Among the new features of the ships there will be specially designed cabins for families and
an “extended” MSC Yacht Club, the entirely self-contained private club on the prestigious
foredecks that will now be completed with a vast solarium, a private lounge and restaurant and
duplex suites.
The new prototype is the result of a long development process, conducted in the framework of
STX’s ECORIZON ® programme, leading to the creation of a new generation of ships that are
cleaner, more efficient and more technological. They will be water emission free, while its
hull and propulsion system will be optimised for better energy efficiency. The installation of
scrubbers will allow for fumes to be neutralised and CO2 emissions to be in accordance with the
latest evolutions of international maritime regulations.
