MSC Cruises hosts naming ceremony of new ship

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

World’s first modern cruise ship running on LNG has been officially given the name as MSC World Euro in a Naming Ceremony at the brand-new Grand Cruise Terminal in Doha, Qatar. The ceremony with the touch of modern and traditional was attended by a large number of dignitaries from maritime industry as well as government officials besides a large number of international media persons. Together with partners Qatar Airways, the celebrations were part of MSC’s overall commitment to Qatar, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the growth of international tourism there as well as the broader Middle East region, where MSC Cruises is brand leader.

MSC World Europa will spend her inaugural season in the Middle East offering 7-night cruises to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island, UAE, Dammam, Saudi Arabia and Doha, Qatar. Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division of MSC Group, said “Just like Qatar, our Group has placed climate change at the forefront of its agenda. We are committed to reaching net zero carbon from our cruise operations by 2050. MSC World Europa is our most innovative vessel. She is the world’s best performing cruise ship in terms of CO2 emissions per guest. Running on LNG, the cleanest fossil fuel and, of course, Qatar’s most renowned export.”

He continued “over the years, we have proven our commitment to supporting Qatar’s economic diversification, which is guided by Qatar National Vision 2030. And of course, to further developing Qatar’s profile as a global tourism destination. Qatar has a wonderful tourism offering to meet a huge variety of interests, and an array of destinations. In 2016, our own MSC Fantasia became the first major cruise ship to call at Doha. We have been reliable partners ever since. And today, we renew our commitment to Qatar by homeporting our most modern and innovative ship in Doha.”

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Akbar Al Baker, Chairman of Qatar Tourism and Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, commented: “While Qatar Airways is the global aviation gateway to Qatar, the marine industry is very important to tourism and the long term economic and cultural connections it brings. As sustainability is vital to the future growth of aviation, MSC World Europa illustrates how the marine industry is addressing the challenges of efficiency and emissions reductions.  The naming ceremony of MSC World Europa is an important prelude to the FIFA World Cup 2022 and shows the enormous endeavour and collaboration necessary to deliver the best World Cup ever.”

MSC World Europa is the most innovative and environmentally advanced cruise ship in the MSC Cruises fleet. On top of ground-breaking advances in terms of reduction of emissions and energy efficiency, the LNG-powered ship also paves the way towards the uptake of carbon-neutral synthetic and other alternative fuels as soon as they are available at scale.

Spanning 22 decks, with 215,863 GT’s, 47 metres wide, 40,000 m2 of public space and 2,626 cabins, MSC World Europa is an ultramodern urban metropolis at sea offering a veritable world of different experiences whilst setting a new standard for the cruise industry. A long-standing maritime tradition, the official Naming Ceremony of the ship took place in the presence of the Master of the Vessel, Captain Marco Massa and distinguished guests from around the world.

The evening was hosted by prominent comedian, producer and entrepreneur, Hamad Al Amari, as guests from around the world enjoyed the experiences from local artists, a cutting-edge video-mapping projection onto the ship’s hull, huge drone show and a grand finale performance by international singer-songwriter Matteo Bocelli, presented his solo work for the first time ever in Doha. His new album is due in early 2023 via Capitol Records.

The glamorous night culminate in a spectacular firework display against the stunning Doha skyline, and a gourmet gala dinner in the ship’s elegant restaurants.