Tag Archives: MSC Meraviglia

Lerwick’s Cruise Business is Skyrocketing

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Business is up in Lerwick

A 34 per cent increase in calls, an 85 per cent increase in estimated passengers and an 83 per cent increase in overall tonnage is the news for 2018 in Lerwick.

That’s not bad, and it will continue to go up in 2019, with a 20 per cent increase expected in passenger arrivals.

Among the notable calls for 2018 was the MSC Meraviglia, which was scheduled to dock on July 31, breaking all previous records and becoming the largest ship to berth in Lerwick, according to Victor Sandison, the senior commercial executive at Lerwick Harbour.

“At 60 degrees north, Lerwick Harbour is Britain’s ‘top’ port, strategically located at the crossroads of the North Sea and Northeast Atlantic, providing a uniquely blended visitor experience of Scottish hospitality and Nordic culture,” said Sandison.

The port has three dedicated cruise berths and can take ships alongside up to 232 meters. In addition, large ships can anchor in sheltered anchorages with a short tender ride to the town centre.

“Lerwick Port Authority has future plans to deepen the approach channel and the berth at Mair’s Pier to provide alongside-berthing for a number of larger vessels which currently need to anchor and transfer passengers by tender,” Sandison noted. “Going forward, this will reduce any possible weather disruption for these cruise calls. A timeline for this work will be decided once financing is available.”

With traffic moving up, challenges include making sure there are “sufficient” resources available to offer a high-quality passenger experience shoreside.

Tour providers are adding new experiences to their programs, among which is a “Sound of Shetland” excursion treating visitors to a showcase of Shetland’s fantastic musical heritage in Lerwick’s Mareel waterfront auditorium.

Lerwick Port Authority has also provided support for extra coaches to be brought into the islands for the cruise season to add additional capacity for shore excursions, Sandison said.

New Cruise Terminal at PortMiami for MSC Cruises

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Image result for MSC seaside in Miami Port
MSC Divina in her Homeport of Miami.
MSC Cruises has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the construction of a new Cruise Terminal AAA at PortMiami. The expected completion date is 2022.

The new terminal will accommodate the line’s World Class of ships, which will carry up to 7,000 passengers. MSC Cruises will operate four ships in total from Miami, including MSC Seaside. That ship debuted in late 2017. It currently sails year-round from Miami to the Caribbean.

MSC Armonia will begin homeporting in Miami in December 2018. She’ll offer the line’s first cruises to Cuba from the US. Additionally, MSC Divina will return seasonally to PortMiami. She sails to the Caribbean from October through March. And, MSC Meraviglia will make her North American debut at PortMiami in November 2019. The line’s largest ship, Meraviglia carries 5,714 passengers.

“The new agreement and expanded partnership with PortMiami and Miami-Dade County is another key step forward in the business growth of MSC Cruises, as we continue to strengthen our global footprint, with a strategic focus on North America,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises.

Rick Sasso, chairman of MSC Cruises USA emphasized the mutual economic benefit of the new terminal.

“PortMiami is committed to providing a world-class experience to its guests and thanks to a long-standing collaborative relationship with Miami-Dade County we are thrilled that in less than 18 months MSC Cruises will have four ships sailing from the Port. This will also allow us to make a significant additional contribution to the economy of Miami and the county in its role as the Capital of the Cruise World, especially thanks to the large percentage of international guests travelling to Miami and South Florida to embark and disembark from MSC Cruises ships calling PortMiami,” said Sasso.

MSC Cruises currently operates 15 ships. The line plans to expand to expand to 25 mega-cruise ships by 2026.

MSC Cruises to Install Ocean Guardian Software

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MSC Seaview in Barcelona

Total Marine Solutions and MSC Cruises today announced a global collaboration following successful software trials of Ocean Guardian, which is a software system that lets ship operators access the latest environmental regulations.

By the end of July 2018, all MSC Cruises ships will be equipped with Ocean Guardian.

While the most widely applied environmental regulations are specified in the International Convention for Prevention from Pollution from Ships and its Annexes (MARPOL), many countries across the globe apply their own rules in waters within their jurisdiction, MSC said, in a prepared statement.

These local regulations are modified frequently, making it difficult for ship operators to stay abreast of the most up-to-date rules and guidance. While MSC Cruises’ policy prescribes to always follow the most stringent local or international regulations, Ocean Guardian simplifies the process and ensures accuracy regarding the applicability of international, national, or regional environmental regulations.

“MSC Cruises has been a collaborative partner in developing this technology during sea trials,” said Alexandra Anagnostis-Irons, President of Total Marine Solutions. “Therefore, we are especially excited to  deploy Ocean Guardian’s state-of-the-art technology on all MSC Cruises’ ships.”

“As maritime regulations continue to become more complex, and as part of a much broader approach to meet our own environmental objectives, MSC Cruises along with the entire cruise industry continually invests in technology to better manage our environmental footprint,” added Bud Darr, Executive Vice President for Maritime Policy and Government Affairs, MSC Group. “Compliance and knowledge are critical aspects of this and Ocean Guardian will be instrumental to accurately navigate the complex web of environmental regulations at sea.”

The database that supports the technology is updated by experienced marine professionals on an ongoing basis, and verified and vetted by a third-party independent maritime law firm to provide accurate information, the company said.

As a result, the new system will eliminate the need to continuously review the various handbooks, guides and environmental matrices to determine which regulations apply.

On the MSC Cruises fleet, the Ocean Guardian technology is located on the bridge, in the engine control room and in the MSC Maritime Support Center in London, where it is monitored 24/7. The software produces a sound when certain parameters are within range, alerting deck officers on duty.

MSC Cruises and Total Marine Solutions conducted successful trials with Ocean Guardian on MSC Divina, while at sea in the Caribbean and will be deploying the technology across the entire fleet.