MSC and Chantiers de l’Atlantique strengthen partnership

Photo: MSC

The companies made a number of announcements regarding new vessel construction contracts and future development of next-generation technologies. The ceremony, held at the Matignon Palace, was attended among others by Édouard Philippe, the French Prime Minister.

The partners signed firm contracts for the construction of MSC Cruises' third and fourth MSC World Class ships, fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG), to be delivered in 2025 and 2027. First of the initial two ships is currently under construction at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire and is due to enter service in 2022. With 205k GT, she will become the biggest vessel operated by a European cruise line as well as the first LNG-powered cruise ship built in France.

These contracts represent a capital investment totaling at over €2bn and are expected to generate over 2.4k full-time workplaces for the next three and a half years.

The companies also signed two memoranda of understanding (MoU), first one for the development of a new prototype class of LNG-powered cruise ships. The project will focus on emerging environmental technologies in line with IMO's vision for 2030 and 2050. Four vessels, which would be constructed as part of this contract, represent a capital investment exceeding €4bn.

A further innovative prototype ship class concept is the subject of the second MoU. The project will explore opportunities presented by wind power for passenger shipping. All three agreements together total at over €6.5bn.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises, said, "The three agreements signed today extend our investment plan up to 2030. They stem from an exceptional partnership, with Chantiers de l'Atlantique, that has already delivered 15 highly-innovative cruise ships over the past two decades and will see many more vessels come to life at Saint-Nazaire's docks in the next ten years."

Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l'Atlantique, added, "We are both committed to shaping the cruise of tomorrow and to developing ship concepts which go far beyond current environmental standards. Our companies have already been working together for twenty years and these new projects allow us to look enthusiastically to the future."