MSC Cruises Places Two Ship Orders for the Most Modern Fleet in the World (France)
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MSC Cruises Places Two Ship Orders for the Most Modern Fleet in the World (France)
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Category: Europe - France - Industry economy -
Hotel projects
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2008-09-11
MSC Cruises has
announced the extraordinary expansion of its fleet with the order of two
additional ships from the Aker Yards France at St. Nazaire.
The announcement was made today in Milan by Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of
MSC Cruises worldwide, and Domenico Pellegrino, MSC Cruises General
Manager, and Jacques Hardelay, General Manager of Aker Yards France.
The new ships -- due for delivery in 2011 and 2012 -- will be named MSC
Meraviglia ("marvelous/amazing") and MSC Favolosa ("fabulous") and will be
the fifth and sixth ships in the "Musica" class, at 93,000 tons, 1,275
staterooms and capacity of 2,550 passengers, double occupancy.
"I can say with pride that MSC Cruises has the most modern fleet in the
world," declared Vago. "MSC Meraviglia and MSC Favolosa carry us forward to
2012, with more than 1.4 million guests to whom we can offer a product that
has been designed, engineered and presented as only MSC Cruises knows how.
We now play a key role on the global market, successfully acting as an
ambassador for Italian style worldwide."
MSC Meraviglia and MSC Favolosa will bring the fleet total to 14 ships,
completing a development plan that has allowed the company to achieve these
records:
-- the most modern fleet in the world: most ships are less than 5 years
old;
-- an investment of 5.5 billion Euros between 2003 and 2009 for the
construction of 10 new generation ships, subdivided into three classes:
Lirica class (60,000 tons), Musica class (93,000 tons), Fantasia class
(133,500 tons);
-- the largest cruise company with entirely European capital;
-- two super-flagships -- MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida, at 133,500 tons
-- the largest ships built for a European shipping company;
-- the first company to receive the '6 Golden Pearls' from the
Bureau Veritas
"The new orders are the result of a careful evaluation of trends in the
cruise industry in recent years," declared Pellegrino. "Over the first
months of 2008, the cruise market grew by 13% while, in the same period,
the company recorded an increase equal to 32% in terms of passengers. This
result was achieved also thanks to the confidence the sales channel has
been showing us year after year. Based on these figures, we foresee a rosy
future for both the cruise sector and MSC Cruises."
Construction will start on MSC Meraviglia and MSC Favolosa under the
guidance of the Korean STX Shipbuilding at the Aker Yards France.
"The strong relationship which already exists between MSC Cruises and
Aker Yards has been reinforced by this contract. We look forward to
continuing our innovative cooperation with MSC Cruises in order to offer
unique cruise experiences to MSC Cruises' passengers. We are ready and
happy to take up this new challenge," said Hardelay.
MSC Cruises, the fastest growing cruise line with the youngest fleet,
has nine ships: MSC Poesia, MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC
Opera, MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Melody, MSC Rhapsody, cruising in the
Mediterranean year round and seasonally in Northern Europe, Atlantic Ocean,
Caribbean, South America, Indian Ocean and South Africa. In fall 2008 and
spring 2009, MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida, will be launched. In fall
2009, MSC Magnifica, fourth in the "Musica" class, will enter service,
followed by sister ships MSC Meraviglia (2011) and MSC Favolosa (2012). By
the end of 2012, MSC Cruises, with 12 vessels, will have the most modern
fleet in the world.
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