Fincantieri to Build Hydrogen-powered Cruise Ships for MSC's Explora Journeys

Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri on Wednesday announced it has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Explora Journeys, the luxury travel brand of the MSC Group's cruise division, for the construction of two hydrogen-powered luxury cruise ships.

EXPLORA V and EXPLORA VI will feature a new generation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) engines that will tackle the issue of methane slip and will also be equipped with industry first environmental technologies and solutions, including a containment system for liquid hydrogen that will enable them to use this promising low-carbon fuel. Hydrogen fuel will power a six-megawatt fuel cell to produce emissions-free power for the hotel operation and allow the vessels to run on ‘zero emissions’ in port, with the engines turned off.

The signing of the contract relating to the MOA will be subject to access to financing. The two newbuilds would come into service in 2027 and 2028, respectively.

In addition, Explora Journeys said that the previously announced vessels EXPLORA III and IV will now be powered by LNG. The two ships will be enlarged by 19 meters to enable the installation of a new generation system based on LNG and hydrogen. This has provided an opportunity to enhance the mix of suites with an increased number of spacious and luxurious Ocean Residences and larger public spaces.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the Cruise Division of MSC Group, said, “Explora Journeys is building ships for tomorrow, utilizing today’s latest technologies and being ready to adapt to alternative energy solutions as they become available. The announcement today marks another significant step forward in our goal as a business to reach net zero emissions by 2050 across all our cruise operation for the two brands and a further proof of our commitment to invest in the most advanced marine environmental technologies available to develop sustainable solutions for the future. This transition to zero emissions operations for the maritime industry is the biggest challenge that we will ever face, and this will only be achieved by everyone playing their part – by investing in research and development and through significant investment both by companies but also governments.”

LNG is currently the cleanest marine fuel currently available at scale and it virtually eliminates local air pollutant emissions like sulphur oxides (99%), nitrogen oxides (85%) and particles (98%). In terms of emissions with a global impact, LNG plays a significant role in climate change mitigation with the engines having the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 25% compared to standard marine fuels. In addition, with the increasing availability of bio and synthetic forms of LNG in the future, this energy source will provide a pathway toward eventual decarbonized operations.

The two additional ships covered under today’s MOA will bring Explora Journeys’ investment in its fleet to €3.5 billion. This includes an additional €120 million each for fitting EXPLORA III and IV with LNG engines, a change that required a temporary halt of work due to the significant redesign of the ships, which will now be delivered in 2026 and 2027.

Michael Ungerer, Chief Executive Officer, Explora Journeys, said, “These bold moves to amend our construction plans, make significant additional investment in current orders and confirm orders for two more vessels with new technology despite the economic environment are something only a family company can do. This also demonstrates unequivocally our absolute commitment to operate ships that will appeal and attract the next and future generations of luxury travellers. Sustainability is the new craftmanship and we’re honoured to take a pioneering position within the industry and the wider travel sector.”

Pierroberto Folgiero, Chief Executive Officer of Fincantieri, said, “This is the very first major agreement for new construction after the pandemic emergency and testifies not only to the further growth of our long-standing partnership with MSC, which we thank, but also the confidence of both groups in the future of the cruise industry. These ships will allow us to implement cutting-edge technologies aimed at significantly improving environmental performance, laying the foundations for further developments.”

Folgiero added, “We are convinced that sustainability is a key factor to ensure our growth in the medium and long term. We will continue to act with determination to be forerunners in a sector that has always seen us hold leadership positions.”

All six ships in Explora Journeys’ fleet will also feature the latest selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology to enable a reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions by 90%, be equipped with shore power plug-in connectivity to reduce emissions in port and fitted with underwater noise management systems to help protect marine life.  All six vessels will also have a comprehensive range of onboard energy efficient equipment to optimize engine use to further reduce emissions.