Msc Crociere and Chantiers de l’Atlantique announced today a further order of 3.5 billion euros for the construction of two new ships (number 7 and number 8) belonging to the World Class, with delivery scheduled for 2030 and 2031 respectively.
The announcement was made during the double event organized to celebrate the important milestones of two other World Class ships currently under construction at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard in France: the float-out of Msc World Asia, the moment the ship touches water for the first time, and the coin ceremony for Msc World Atlantic, an ancient maritime tradition involving the welding of a medallion inside the hull of the ship under construction as a symbol of blessing and good luck.
The orders announced today bring Msc Crociere’s investment to almost 7 billion euros for the four ships ordered this year, which reaches 10.5 billion euros if the two units currently under construction are also considered. The number of new ships that Msc Crociere will take delivery of by 2031 thus rises to six, the year in which the company’s fleet (currently consisting of 23 units) will reach a total of 29 ships.
A company note underlines that “this important industrial plan reflects the confidence of the Msc Group’s shipowner, Gianluigi Aponte, in the future of the cruise sector and his continuous commitment towards excellence in shipbuilding in Europe”.
Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of the Msc Group’s Cruise Division, stated: “The World Class platform is the symbol of our goal to set new standards for the future of cruising. We are talking about some of the most energy-efficient ships in the world, which testify to our commitment to the use of LNG, and allow us to be always ready for future renewable fuels. We look forward to continuing our innovative and successful collaboration with Chantiers de l’Atlantique – our long-standing partner for over 20 years”.
Leonardo Massa, vice president Southern Europe of the Msc Group’s Cruise Division, stated: “Our next flagship, Msc World Asia, touched the sea for the first time today, a fundamental step in the construction of a ship. In just over a year, this jewel of the seas will enter service, operating cruises departing from three Italian ports: Genoa, Civitavecchia and Messina. And in the summer of 2027, it will also depart from Naples every week”.
Laurent Castaing, general manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, added: “We are deeply grateful to Msc Crociere for their renewed trust. What our shipyard is achieving today is truly incredible: four new ships ordered in 2025! The World Class series, which now numbers eight units, testifies to the expertise of our teams and Msc’s vision. It is proof of our shared commitment to enhancing the passenger experience and, at the same time, environmental performance”.
The construction of World Class ships 7 and 8 will begin in 2029, enriching the long series of units delivered by Chantiers de l’Atlantique as part of its historic collaboration with Msc Crociere. The series includes Msc World Europa (2022) and Msc World America (2025), Msc World Asia (2026) and Msc World Atlantic (2027), in addition to the World Class ships 5, 6, 7 and 8 planned up to 2031.
Msc World Asia will be delivered in November 2026, ready to sail in the Mediterranean.
Starting in December, it will offer seven-night cruises to the most popular destinations in the Western Mediterranean: Genoa, Civitavecchia, Messina, Valletta (Malta), Barcelona (Spain), and Marseille (France). For the summer 2027 cruises, Naples will replace the Civitavecchia stop.
Today also saw the traditional coin ceremony for Msc World Atlantic, during which the ship’s godmothers, representing the cruise company and the shipyard, placed the commemorative coins inside the hull as a symbol of blessing and good fortune during construction. Msc World Atlantic will enter service in 2027 and will be deployed in the Caribbean from Port Canaveral (USA) for the 2027-28 winter season.
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