Fincantieri announced today that it has signed a contract with Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings, which is the joint owner/operator of Four Seasons Yacht, for the construction of a third ultra-luxury cruise ship.
Delivery of the new vessel is scheduled for 2031. It is the third ship in a new class of ultra-luxury cruise ships designed and built by Fincantieri at its Ancona shipyard. The Four Seasons I debuted earlier this year and will be followed by a sister ship in early 2028, according to the Italian shipbuilder.
The new ship will retain the same residential-style, “all-suite” concept that characterizes the first vessel in the class, the companies said.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and general manager of Fincantieri, stated: “This new order represents another significant step in the development of our partnership with Marc-Henry Cruise Holdings LTD, which has become a benchmark for innovation in luxury hospitality at sea.
The decision to expand the fleet with a third vessel reflects the strength of a long-term industrial vision and confirms market appreciation for a concept that has successfully created a new segment combining luxury hospitality with advanced shipbuilding.
Designed and built at our Ancona shipyard, the vessel further reinforces the site’s role as a Fincantieri center of excellence for the construction of ultra-luxury ships, where innovation, craftsmanship, and industrial expertise come together to deliver the highest standards of quality and refinement.”
The Cruise Division of MSC Group today broke ground for its new $350 million cruise terminal in Miami which when it opens will be North America’s largest, according to a statement from the company.
The four-story building with four embarkation decks will be able to accommodate up to 36,000 passenger movements a day, and feature enough berthing space to serve three latest-generation ships simultaneously, the company said.
The Cruise Division of MSC Group and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced a partnership in July 2021 whereby Fincantieri Infrastructure would construct the state-of-the-art facility which will feature a striking design by award-winning global architecture firm Arquitectonica.
The new terminal will be able to accommodate MSC Cruises’ largest and most environmentally advanced cruise ships, including its current flagship, the MSC Seashore, and the line’s future liquified natural gas-powered World Class ships.
Most ships at berth at the new Miami terminal will be able to plug into the local power grid, in line with PortMiami’s plans to enable shore power connectivity.
Rubén Rodriguez, President, MSC Cruises USA, said, “Our new terminal at PortMiami represents MSC Cruises’ commitment to growth in North America and will help drive our expansion in South Florida by offering our guests an unbeatable experience that starts before they ever step onboard. It’s also part of our larger sustainability goals, which include deploying our most modern and environmentally advanced ships to North America, the continued development of our one-of-a-kind Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, and our pledge to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We’re proud of our partnership with Fincantieri, PortMiami and Miami-Dade County, and it’s a privilege to be able to contribute to the region’s continued growth and vitality.”
Claudio Gemme, CEO of Fincantieri Infrastructure, added, “We are very pleased to be able to work with MSC, Miami-Dade County and PortMiami on such an ambitious project as the new terminal. It represents for us a significant result from a strategic point of view because it rewards the choice to extend to new areas the skills acquired in the field of large infrastructures. When the works are completed, here in the world cruise capital, passengers from all over the globe will be able to admire the superior quality of our work even before boarding the ship.”
Mayor Daniella LevineCava, Miami-Dade County, said, “In Miami-Dade County, we are forging ahead with future-ready investments that will stimulate growth and expanded opportunities for our local economy. As this port continues to develop, the opportunities for our community, whether in jobs, contracts, and services, can only increase. MSC’s new mega cruise terminal will significantly impact the entire region. Once complete, the facility will service three new-generation passenger vessels simultaneously, handling up to 36,000 passenger movements per day. Additionally, this architectural marvel will allow the line to deploy some of its most environmentally high-performing ships including its World-class fleet. A big thank you to MSC Cruises and Fincantieri for their partnership.”
Aside from the terminal building itself, the new complex – which is currently projected to be completed by the end of 2023 – will include a multi-level parking garage for 2,400 vehicles, new road construction to ensure traffic flows smoothly, and a total of three berths capable of accommodating the largest of cruise ships. The company will build two of those new docks; Miami-Dade County will construct the third. The project also involves the construction of related shore infrastructure, including water supply stations and four-passenger embarkation decks.
During a media briefing Thursday aboard the soon-to-be-christened MSC Seashore, Ruben Rodriguez, MSC Cruises North America president, revealed the line’s next EVO-class ship will now be officially deployed to the U.S. upon completion in 2022.
“MSC Seascape is the sister ship to MSC Seashore. It’s currently under construction in Italy, to be launched at the end of next year,” revealed Rodriguez. “And we will be deploying Seascape in Miami as its homeport come winter 2022-2023.” He added that the ship will bring “new experiences, new amenities and new features”.
MSC Seascape is scheduled to be delivered from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri in November 2022. The 5,877-passenger ship will offer 11 dining venues, 19 bars and lounges, and will feature six swimming pools. Rodriguez’s announcement coincided with the float-out of MSC Seascape at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri on Thursday.
MSC’s decision to deploy its newest vessel Stateside isn’t exactly a surprise. The Swiss-based, Italy-owned cruise line has been making big investments in the U.S. to stake a place in the highly competitive U.S. cruise market. These initiatives also include its three-year Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve project, which saw the line completely renovating and restoring an industrial island in the Bahamas into a thriving marine reserve with over 75,000 individually-planted plants, over 80 different species of marine life, and a coral restoration project.
MSC Cruises will also begin ground-breaking on their own dedicated terminal at PortMiami, designed by Miami-based Arquitectonica, the global architecture firm responsible for several buildings found in the Miami skyline as well as across the world.
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