I love all things Cruise and add that to my hobby Photography I’m in dreamland, I’m an exTravel agency owner with the inside contacts, so I will try to keep you updated in all things travel related with a side serving of images and other maritime stories.
Five major cruise companies will commit to using shore power on all cruises in the Baltic Sea from 2024 at the Sustainable Cruising conference hosted by business-to-business network Cruise Baltic, to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 5 April.
Carnival Corporation, Royal Caribbean Group, MSC Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises and Ponant will sign a memorandum of understanding at the conference, with the Danish minister for environment Lea Wermelin in attendance.
“We are extremely proud that these cruise lines now commit to shore power in the region, and it shows that the cruise industry is taking an important responsibility when it comes to sustainability,” said Claus Bødker, director of Cruise Baltic.
The Sustainable Cruise conference will take place at the Copenhagen Marriot Hotel and will feature talks by representatives of cruise lines and Baltic ports and destinations, along with Wermelin and the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Sophie Hæstorp Andersen.
MSC Cruises has opened sales for the MSC Euribia, the line’s most environmentally advanced ship in its fleet and its second LNG-powered ship currently under construction at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, due to launch in early June 2023.
The ship will spend her inaugural season in Northern Europe from the German port of Kiel.
The Euribia will offer seven-night itineraries sailing to the Norwegian fjords with calls including Copenhagen, Denmark; Hellesylt, Norway for the Geirangerfjord; as well as Alesund and Flam, also in Norway, among others.
According to a press release, Euribia will look different from her sister ships in the Meraviglia-Plus class, thanks to “an exclusive artwork designed as a commitment by MSC Cruises to the sea.”
The cruise line held an exclusive international design competition through Talent House to create a “unique artwork” for the ship’s hull, inspired by the sea and its important marine ecosystem.
The design highlights “the steps that the company is taking towards a greener future” and will be featured on the ship’s hull permanently.
MSC said that it had designs from 59 countries worldwide submitted. The winner was German artist Alex Flaemig whose artwork will adorn the ship’s exterior.
Five finalists will have their designs displayed onboard the ship in a new art gallery, MSC said.
Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, Pierfrancesco Vago, said: “In response to the growing need to protect the ocean for future generations, we have made it our mission to equip our ships with the latest and most advanced environmental technologies and solutions, with MSC Euribia showcasing the best of them to-date.
“The contest to design the hull for our latest LNG ship was launched to help us communicate our unwavering commitment to the environment as this ship sails the world.
“Flaemig’s design perfectly captured this message of passion and dedication to preserving the marine environment and its complex ecosystem and delivers a strong call to action to everyone who sees this ship to save the seas.”
Competition winner Alex Flaemig added: “In order to make people even more aware of this unique underwater world with its precious life, I have graphically placed a small section of this ecosystem on the hull of the MSC Euribia. What was important to me was not only the representation of the underwater world but also a message about how it should be preserved.“
I also want to express that an intact sea is also the basis for a healthy ecosystem on land. I want to emphasize this with the representation of birds, insects and leaves, and last but not least with the globe. It is still important to me to inspire people and encourage them to participate.”
Flaemig is a native of Dresden, Germany, and was inspired by “the opportunity to transform the hull of the MSC Euribia into a giant, floating canvas to highlight the importance of respect for the environment.”
His #SaveTheSea design features an underwater world with its precious life and weaves together the colours of the MSC Cruises and MSC Foundation logos, the cruise line said. This blending creates a gradient effect that paints sea fauna and flora across the hull.
The winning artwork was selected from entries from around the world by a panel of international judges including sand artist Jben, known for his large-scale sand frescoes that wash away with the tide, architect Martin Francis and Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, Pierfrancesco Vago.
Euribia will come into service in 2023 and become the second LNG-powered ship in the MSC Cruises fleet. The cruise line said that LNG plays a “key role” in the journey towards climate change mitigation and will reduce CO2 emissions by up to 25 per cent on the Euribia compared to standard fuels while also virtually eliminating other air emissions.
As bio and synthetic fuels become available, Euribia’s emissions will be further reduced, according to the press release.
LNG is key to the development of low carbon solutions for shipping as emerging technologies such as fuel cells can be operated with LNG until zero emissions bio-LNG or green hydrogen become available at scale.
MSC Cruises said it is “actively involved” in several projects to develop and make these technologies viable in partnership with regulators, academia, shipyards and industry. This includes a project to study the use of hydrogen fuel in cruise ships in partnership with Fincantieri and SNAM, as well as a pilot project for the development of solid oxide fuel cell technology for cruise ships with Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Bloom Energy.
Euribia will utilize an advanced wastewater treatment system, as well as an underwater radiated noise management system to minimize the effects of vibrations on marine life. Multiple energy efficiency features help reduce and optimize engine use.
MSC Cruises stated it was committed to powering at least three upcoming ships with LNG, representing a total investment exceeding 3 billion euros.
Hurtigruten Group has acquired a significant minority stake in Metropolitan Touring, one of South America’s leading travel companies and pioneers in the Galápagos Islands.
The long-term investment sees Hurtigruten Group take a 24.9% share in the company with headquarters in Quito, Ecuador, and further demonstrates Hurtigruten Group’s global growth ambitions in the adventure travel market, the company said, in a press release.
CEO of Hurtigruten Group Daniel Skjeldam said: “This investment signifies our growth journey and we are delighted to invest in Metropolitan Touring, a proud South American company that mirrors our expedition heritage and sustainability values. It is a unique opportunity for us to contribute to a more meaningful partnership, where we can expand quickly, strategically and deliver on our vision for the future together.”
The strategic partnership broadens Hurtigruten Group’s portfolio of products in iconic, natural destinations, reinforcing its position as a leader in sustainable adventure travel.
“Hurtigruten Group shares our passion for the wonders of South America and we are excited by the prospect of this partnership which brings together two companies that have a common long-term vision of our industry’s power to do good in the world. As we continue the post-Covid recovery, this announcement will bolster South America’s position as an exciting travel destination on the global stage, bringing its stunning natural and compelling cultural attractions into sharper focus for today’s responsible traveller,” Metropolitan Touring CEO Paulina Burbano de Lara said.
Hurtigruten Expeditions, the world’s largest expedition cruise company and part of Hurtigruten Group, is offering year-round expedition cruises, in close cooperation with Metropolitan Touring, visiting the fabled archipelago’s most spectacular sites on board the 90-guest Santa Cruz II.
