MSC Cruises has announced that it has become the industry’s first major line to have its entire food safety supply chain and fleet of ships certified for onboard food safety by the global International Organization for Standardization, commonly known as ISO.
The company heralded its celebratory success on the World Health Organization’s ‘World Food Safety Day 2021’ today, following the granting of the internationally acclaimed and recognized ISO22000 food safety management system certification for 17 of the Company’s ships.
“We’re extremely proud to be on top of the cruise industry’s league table for WHO’s World Food Safety Day with our fleet of ships and delighted that our entire food supply chain ‘from farm to fork’ has been certified,” said Genoa-based Managing Director of MSC Cruises’ Food and Beverage Division, Paolo Raia.
“We have demonstrated at MSC Cruises that our industry-leading health and safety protocol goes above and beyond what regulatory authorities demand, and it’s no different with food safety as we always strive to go one step further than what is required,” he added.
MSC’s two new vessels for 2021 – the MSC Virtuosa and MSC Seashore – are on track to be certified in the next few months, the cruise line said.
Onboard audits are undertaken by Bureau Veritas to verify that the highest standards of food safety are undertaken by MSC Cruises for its guests and crew. This year alone, MSC said, Bureau Veritas has conducted 36 separate audit days and examined more than 5,000 food safety records onboard the cruise line’s ships.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, MSC Cruises annually served up nearly 285 million dishes and poured more than 125 million drinks for its guests, according to a press release.
Raja said that food safety is “understandably” taken for granted within day-to-day society.
“A cruise ship needs to have a systematic, well-considered and planned approach in place to guarantee the food safety for guests and crew on board,” he said.
MSC Cruises has announced that it obtained the final approval by the Port of Barcelona’s Board of Directors to build and operate an exclusive cruise terminal. This multi-year concession will see the construction of an innovative terminal of 11,670 square meters that MSC Cruises will operate and manage for a 31-year period.
The project is estimated to represent a 33-million-euro investment by MSC Cruises. With construction work set to start shortly, the new terminal is expected to enter service in 2024.
“We are particularly pleased with the award of this multi-year new terminal concession. Barcelona is not only an important homeport for the cruises division, but also for the entire group and its shipping business. As such, the new terminal is further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to the city of Barcelona and the entire Catalonia region,” said MSC Cruises’ Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago.
For the project, MSC Cruises is partnering with the renowned Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill.
“I am also honoured that for this project we will able to partner with the impressive Ricardo Bofill and his firm. Together, we will build a state-of-the-art new terminal that is bound to become another landmark for the beautiful city of Barcelona,” Vago said.
According to him, the new terminal will allow MSC to operate “expanded homeport operations, resulting in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and the overall region.”
“This will come from higher spent locally by our international guests either flying into or out of Barcelona airport and likely to spend additional days in the city and its hotels together with their travelling parties. Homeport operations will also allow us to dedicate to Barcelona more of our new ships – including the LNG-powered MSC World Europa which is currently under construction and is shaping up to become one of the most environmentally friendly ships at sea when she comes into service,” noted Vago.
“Finally, the new terminal allows us to further demonstrate our commitment to environmental sustainability as it will feature both shore power facilities as well as LNG bunkering operations,” he concluded.
According to a press release, this project will allow MSC Cruises to “consolidate its presence in Barcelona,” which is one of the brand’s most important ports in the Western Med and to expand its homeporting operations out of the city.
This will result in added direct and indirect economic benefit for the city and region as more international guests will transit through Barcelona, likely spending additional days in the city either before or after their cruise, the cruise line wrote.
The new terminal will feature shore power facilities and be ready for LNG bunkering operations, allowing MSC Cruises to deploy more next-generation, environmentally-friendly ships in Barcelona, including the MSC World Europa. The World Europa is the brand’s first LNG-powered cruise ship, currently under construction and due to enter service in 2022.
Both cargo operator MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and ferry operator GNV have a solid presence in the Port of Barcelona, the cruise line said.
“As such, the new terminal is a further proof of MSC Group’s longstanding commitment to Barcelona, Catalonia and the whole of Spain,” MSC stated.
MSC Cruises may be the biggest cruise brand based on confirmed resumption plans (as of late April 2021) and ships and berths back in service by August 31, using data from the 2021 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.
On a corporate level, Carnival Corporation will have the most ships and berths back in service, with six brands set to operate 13 ships by late August at press time, and indications are that more announcements are forthcoming.
Top 5 Cruise Lines Back in Service by August 31:
MSC Cruises Ships: Ten – MSC Virtuosa, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Seashore, MSC Seaview, MSC Seaside, MSC Preziosa, MSC Splendida, MSC Magnifica, MSC Orchestra and MSC Musica Total Berths: 37,066 Regions: Europe – Western Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean and Northern Europe
The restart fleet includes two newbuilds, the MSC Virtuosa, slated to offer cruises in the United Kingdom, and the MSC Seashore, poised to spend its inaugural season in the Mediterranean.
Royal Caribbean International Ships: Six – Odyssey of the Seas, Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, Adventure of the Seas and Vision of the Seas Total Berths: 19,500 Regions: North America, Mediterranean and Asia
Costa Cruises Ships: Four – Costa Firenze, Costa Smeralda, Costa Luminosa and Costa Deliziosa Total Berths: 13,976 Region: Europe – Western Mediterranean and Eastern Mediterranean
Starting in August, the Norwegian Joy will sail from Jamaica, while the Norwegian Gem will sail from the Dominican Republic. In Europe, the Norwegian Jade will be based in Greece starting on July 25.
P&O Cruises Ships: Two – Iona and Britannia Total Berths: 8,811 Region: Europe – United Kingdom
Carnival Corporation’s British cruise line, P&O Cruises, will resume service in June, with domestic sailings in the United Kingdom.
Sailing from Southampton, the company plans to use its two newest ships, the 5,200-guest Iona and the 3,611-guest Britannia.
Numbers by Corporation
Carnival Corporation Ships: 13 Brands in Service: 6 out of 9 Total Berths: 38,557
By Brand
Costa: 4 ships and 13,976 berths AIDA: 2 ships and 5,424 berths P&O: 2 ships and 8,811 berths Princess: 2 ships and 7,200 ships Cunard: 1 ship and 2,092 berths Seabourn: 2 ships and 1,054 berths
MSC Cruises Ships: 10 Brands in Service: 1 out of 1 Total Berths: 37,066
By Brand
MSC: 10 ships and 37,066 berths
Royal Caribbean Group Ships: 15 Brands in Service: 5 out of 5 Total Berths: 36,982
By Brand
Royal Caribbean: 6 ships and 19,500 berths Celebrity: 3 ships and 7,840 berths TUI: 3ships and 8,300 berths Hapag-Lloyd: 2 ships and 746 berths Silversea: 1 ship and 596 berths
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ships: 1 out of 3 Brands in Service: 1 out of 3 Total Berths: 9,000
By brand
Norwegian: 3 ships and 9,000 berths
Genting Cruise Lines Ships: 6 Brands in Service: 3 out of 3 Total Berths: 8,486
By Brand
Dream: 2 ships and 5,204 berths Star: 1 ship and 1,090 berths Crystal: 3 ships and 2,192 berths
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