Tag Archives: MSC Cruises

MSC Cruises and Eni Prove Biofuel’s Readiness for Cruise Ship Engines

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MSC Cruises and Eni Prove Biofuel’s Readiness for Cruise Ship Engines

MSC Opera Photo Credit Spacejunkie2 Flickr Account https://flic.kr/ps/GkiQt

Testing by Eni and MSC Cruises has confirmed the technical feasibility of using biofuel in its pure form to power cruise ship engines, the cruise line said in a press release. 

During the tests with Enilive’s HVO (Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil) diesel, one of the MSC Opera’s engines was powered for approximately 2,000 hours with pure HVO. 

No engine modifications were made, while performance and emissions data were recorded. 

The test demonstrated that HVO can be used for marine engines with no technological upgrades needed, with performance staying in line with traditional marine fossil fuels. 

Michele Francioni, Chief Energy Transition Officer of MSC Cruises, said:” We are very pleased to have satisfactorily confirmed the technical feasibility of 100% HVO on our cruise ship as part of our continuous decarbonization efforts. 

“We believe HVO may play an important role in the decarbonization of shipping and together with other immediately available fuels such as LNG and bio-LNG, constitutes an immediate opportunity that could be deployed onboard cruise ships to accelerate the transition towards renewable fuels, bringing us a step closer to our ultimate goal of reaching net zero GHG emissions by 2050”. 

According to the press release, the test recorded lower emissions of both NOx (16 percent) and particulate, as well as a reduction in GHG emissions inherent to the origin of the HVO product of around 80 percent compared to the use of traditional fuel. 

The reduction is said to be due to the usage of 100 percent biogenic feedstocks in the HVO production process. 

Technical data on engine performance and associated emissions were collected and assessed with the support of Wärtsilä as the engine manufacturer, and Bureau Veritas, which independently validated the results. 

Stefano Ballista, CEO of Enilive, noted that his company’s marine HVO diesel has been available at the ports of Genoa, Ravenna and Venice for direct delivery from the terminal to vessels via barge for several months. 

He described the fuel as a viable solution for the decarbonization of maritime transport.

Cruise Industry 10-Year Timeline: 50+ Million Guests, 20% Growth

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Cruise Industry 10-Year Timeline: 50+ Million Guests, 20% Growth

The global cruise business is on course to grow at least 20 per cent between 2026 and 2036, with big new ships driving growth to an estimated 50 million guests, according to the 2026 Cruise Industry News Annual Report.

That is compared to just over 23 million guests 10 years ago, and an estimated 39 million this year.

The bulk of the growth is coming from the industry’s major players that have numerous new big ships on order, including Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, MSC Cruise, Norwegian Cruise Line and Disney Cruise Line.

Together, these five brands have a combined 34 ships on order, amounting to just over 150,000 new berths.

The most growth is coming from MSC, with 10 newbuilds set to debut. The new ships from the industry’s fastest-growing will include more World-class vessels built in France, and an entirely new class of vessel set to be constructed in Germany at Meyer Werft.

Norwegian Cruise Line is close behind with eight ships on order, adding more than 36,000 berths through 2037 as the brand continues to scale its large-ship fleet at Fincantieri in Italy.

Royal Caribbean International has six newbuilds scheduled, building on the success of its Icon-class platform with additional vessels from both Meyer Turku in Finland and Chantiers de l’Atlantique in France.

Carnival Cruise Line has five ships on order totalling nearly 30,000 berths, with new tonnage coming from both Meyer Werft and Fincantieri.

Disney Cruise Line, meanwhile, is accelerating its own expansion with five ships set to debut through 2031, more than doubling its current fleet size and extending its reach into new global markets.

The combined orderbook across all cruise lines stands at 78 ocean ships valued at approximately $80 billion, reflecting the industry’s confidence in sustained long-term demand.

Arabian Gulf Update: Cruise Lines Cancel Remaining Sailings in the Region

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Arabian Gulf Update: Cruise Lines Cancel Remaining Sailings in the Region

Amid ongoing security concerns and regional operational challenges, multiple cruise lines have now cancelled the remainder of their 2025-26 winter deployments in the Arabian Gulf.

MSC

With sailings in the region through early April, MSC Cruises cancelled the remainder of its 2025-26 season in the Middle East.

In its cancellation statement, the company said that the decision was made to prioritize the safety and well-being of its guests and crew while following the guidance of the regional military authorities.

The MSC Euribia was scheduled to offer five additional departures in the Arabian Gulf, with itineraries visiting the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

Celestyal

Operating its two ships in the region for the winter, Celestyal Cruises cancelled the remainder of its season in the Arabian Gulf earlier this month.

With the Celestyal Journey and the Celestyal Discovery stuck in the region, the company also had to cancel the first cruises of the season in the Eastern Mediterranean.

In a statement shared earlier this week, Celestyal said that it is “still in the process of finalizing operational arrangements” for the vessel’s repositioning voyages to Europe.

TUI

TUI Cruises is another cruise line with two ships currently in the Arabian Gulf, the Mein Schiff 4 and the Mein Schiff 5.

In an update published on its website, the company said that it decided to cancel sailings in the region due to travel and safety advice issued by the German Foreign Office.

As a result, sailings scheduled to take place onboard the Mein Schiff 4 through March 23, 2026, will no longer take place. Similarly, all cruises onboard the Mein Schiff 5 through March 12, 2026, have also been cancelled.

Aroya

Aroya Cruises cancelled all of its upcoming cruises planned for the 2025-26 season in the Arabian Gulf.

In a statement shared with Cruise Industry News, the company said that the decision was related to “ongoing regional operational considerations” and was made in coordination with the relevant maritime and national authorities.

After arriving in the United Arab Emirates in late February, the Aroya was scheduled to sail in the region through early May.

Costa and AIDA

Two traditional players in the region, Costa and AIDA Cruises cancelled their seasons in the Arabian Gulf in mid-2025.

The brands planned to operate itineraries in the Arabian Gulf between November 2025 and March 2026 onboard the Costa Toscana and the AIDAprima, respectively.

In similar statements, the Carnival-owned brands said that the decision was related to a fluid situation in the region and aimed to give guests certainty.