Tag Archives: MSC

MSC to Provide Earthquake Relief in Turkey and Syria

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MSC Virtuosa arriving into Southampton photo credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

The MSC Group and the MSC Foundation have organized an urgent response to support the population in the aftermath of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.

The company is closely coordinating with the Turkish authorities, the Italian Foreign Ministry and the Vatican while one of its ferries, departed from the Port of Naples on February 16 heading towards the port of Iskenderun (Alexandretta).

“We feel a strong sense of obligation to act promptly in order to support the people most in need by all means. We are part of a global organization that can set in motion a large-scale operation by involving foundations and associations that we collaborate with all around the world,” said Daniela Picco, executive director of the MSC Foundation.

“As soon as the terrible earthquake in Türkiye and Syria struck, we immediately took action to collect funds, supplies and food, which we can deliver on our ships within a short period of time. This is where the valuable collaboration with the Francesca Rava Foundation comes in, and we thank you for immediately joining this initiative.

“The departure of MSC Aurelia from the port of Naples is an initial example of what we are doing, while we keep on working to provide associations and governments with what we can, so that by sea and by land some comfort can reach those who are presently living in dire situations and, in the future, for the rebuilding of cities and the environment. It is not the first time that the MSC Foundation and the MSC Group have been on the front lines of emergency relief operations: in 2022, we provided extraordinary funding worth millions of euros to offer aid to refugees from Ukraine and led eight emergency relief initiatives in nine countries, strengthening our global emergency capabilities,” added Picco.

The MSC Aurelia was loaded with basic necessities and first aid items that the MSC Group and the MSC Foundation have collected, together with the Rava Foundation. 

The cargo onboard included 60 pallets of medical supplies, food, hygiene items, warm clothing and blankets, as well as toys and crayons for children. Additionally,  50 boxes of thermal shirts are being carried on behalf of the Vatican.

When it arrived, the MSC Aurelia served as emergency accommodation, providing those impacted by the earthquake with over 1,000 beds as well as a restaurant and cinema and video-game entertainment for children.

The MSC Foundation is also collaborating with the UN Refugee Agency to ship an additional 100 containers carrying first aid supplies including blankets, mattresses, sleeping bags, kitchen sets, jerry cans and lamps from Jordan via Haifa, the headquarters of the UN Refugee Agency’s warehouses. The items will reach Gaziantep and other cities that were hit the hardest by the earthquake.

MSC Cruises to Launch MSC Euribia In Copenhagen

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MSC Cruises announced that the naming ceremony for its newest ship, the MSC Euribia, will take place on June 8, 2023, in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The MSC Euribia will be the company’s second ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), one of the world’s cleanest fuels available at the moment. The new flagship will also feature the ‘Baltic Standard’, an advanced wastewater treatment system and a range of environmental technologies designed to help enable zero emissions from the ship in port where onshore power is available.

The cruise line selected the port of Copenhagen as the launch location due to its rich maritime heritage as well as the fact that Denmark is committed to sustainability.

The new ship will also feature painted art on its exterior which reflects the company’s commitment to preserving the marine environment. The art is the work of German graphic artist, Alex Flaemig, and highlights the importance of protecting the complex ecosystem of the seas.

The MSC Euribia will embark on its inaugural season in Northern Europe on June 10 with seven-night cruises from Kiel, Germany and Copenhagen to the Norwegian Fjords including Geiranger, Ålesund, and Flam.

 The ship is named after the ancient goddess Eurybia who used the winds, weather and constellations to navigate the seas.

The MSC Euribia will feature a Mediterranean-style promenade with a LED Dome, a number of shops, speciality restaurants and entertainment venues. Additionally, it includes 10 elegant dining venues and 21 bars and lounges.

MSC World Cruises Set to Depart from Barcelona on Separate Itineraries

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After leaving Genoa earlier this week, the two MSC Cruises ships on world cruise itineraries are now in Barcelona and set to sail in different directions.

The MSC Poesia and MSC Magnifica departed Genoa on Thursday for their respective four-month cruises and both vessels called Marseille in France before arriving simultaneously this morning in the Spanish port.

 Nearly 600 Spanish guests today boarded both ships before they started their different routes, the company said.

The MSC Poesia will next sail to Funchal on the island of Madiera and the MSC Magnifica to Cadiz in Spain.

 Nearly 4,200 guests from 54 countries will sail the world on both vessels, an industry first for two global voyages operated by a major cruise line.

The MSC Poesia will call 53 ports in 33 different countries and her 117-day voyage will cross the Atlantic, transit the Panama Canal and travel up the West Coast of Central America and North America and then sail the Pacific Ocean before an extended period in Asia.  The vessel will cross the Indian Ocean and return to Europe via the Suez Canal.

MSC Magnifica’s 119-day sailing will circumnavigate South America following a transatlantic voyage, crossing the South Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea and then through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea.  The ship will visit 43 destinations in 24 different countries.