MSC World Europa, MSC Cruises’ trail-blazing new flagship property, is all set for its naming ceremony tonight in Doha, Qatar. This also coincides with the launch of the country’s new international cruise terminal, writes Rashi Sen. 

 

MSC’s newest, most technologically advanced vessel and first ship in the fleet to run on LNG, will start its journey as a floating hotel docked in Doha for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 guests. 

 

World Europa will be joined by MSC Poesia and MSC Opera expected to arrive this week to serve as floating hotels for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 fans. Between the three ships, they will accommodate 13,000 guests.

 

The new MSC Europa spans 22 decks, is 154 feet wide, features 2,626 cabins, and boasts more than 430,556 sq ft of public space. 

 

After her stint as a floating hotel docked in Doha International Cruise Terminal, MSC World Europa will spend her inaugural season in the Gulf offering seven-night cruises from Dubai to Abu Dhabi; Sir Bani Yas Island, UAE; Dammam, Saudi Arabia; and Doha, Qatar before returning to Dubai with an overnight to discover the city.

 

MSC World Europa will then head to the Mediterranean Sea in summer 2023, offering 7-night cruises calling the Italian ports of Genoa, Naples and Messina, as well as Valletta in Malta, Barcelona in Spain and Marseille in France.

 

At a sustainability press conference that took place aboard the vessel yesterday in Doha, Bureau Veritas awarded MSC World Europa with 12 Golden Pearls, which is Bureau Veritas’s highest level of certification in terms of quality, health and safety and environment for cruise vessels.  

 

MSC World Europa will be the first LNG-powered vessel in MSC Cruises’ fleet and the most environmentally advanced to date. The fuel she runs on, liquefied natural gas (LNG), is one of the world’s cleanest marine fuels available at scale and is set to play a key role in the decarbonisation of (or transition to zero emissions) international shipping. 

 

In addition, MSC World Europa will feature selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, shore-to-ship power connectivity, advanced wastewater treatment systems to comply with the so-called Baltic standard—the strictest global standard for wastewater disposal to sea, an underwater radiated noise management system to reduce potential noise and vibration impact on marine mammals, as well as a wide range of energy efficient equipment and systems to optimise engine use. – TradeArabia News Service