MSC Cruises’ MSC Euribia ship has completed the world’s first net zero greenhouse gas emissions cruise voyage.
The landmark net-zero GHG emission maiden voyage sailed from Saint Nazaire, France to Copenhagen, Denmark, between 3 and 8 June 2023 – including one day in Amsterdam.
It proves that net-zero emissions cruising is possible already today, significantly ahead of the 2050 target for the industry. MSC Euribia achieved this milestone by utilising bio-LNG as fuel by applying mass balance.
MSC Euribia’s pioneering net zero GHG emissions voyage was recently recognised within the cruise industry when it was awarded the accolade of ‘Sustainability Initiative of the Year 2023’. Achieving net-zero performance was made possible by using bio-LNG as a fuel. MSC Euribia utilised bio-LNG using a mass-balance system, the most cost-effective and environmentally efficient method of delivering the benefits of renewable LNG, fully recognised by the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). Each batch of bio-LNG produced was certified by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC).
The successful completion of this voyage sends a clear signal that net zero GHG emissions marine operations are possible today if alternative fuels are available. The data harvested and information gathered during the trip will then be used to optimise the existing ships in the fleet, further driving down emissions intensity across the MSC Cruises’ fleet.
Linden Coppell, Vice President of Sustainability and ESG for MSC Cruises said: “The partnership with Gasum will enable us to access new and cleaner fuels needed to make a significant step toward net zero cruising. We need more suppliers like Gasum to step up and support our industry. We are ready and waiting to buy more of these new fuels. In the meantime, we will continue to learn from the data from MSC Euribia’s net zero GHG voyage and use these findings as a benchmark for delivering our next LNG vessel.”
Michele Francioni, Senior Vice President of Optimisation for the Cruise Division of MSC Group, commented: “We are extremely proud of this achievement, that proves net-zero cruising is possible today. Our engineers on board and our crew led by Captain Battinelli did a fantastic job optimising the ship’s operation. MSC Euribia truly has the most energy-efficient cruise ship design to-date, but we need greater availability of renewable fuels for the wider maritime industry to consistently repeat this feat. With the right level of support from governments and international institutions in incentivizing acceleration of technological advancements and renewable fuels availability, the industry can achieve net-zero emissions cruising by 2050.”
