MSC Cruises is once again expanding its commitment to large cruise ships. And it is not an inexpensive pleasure. The company has just signed contracts for a total value of 26 billion DKK with the French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique for the construction of two new World Class ships.
The agreement was announced in Saint-Nazaire during the float-out of the newbuild MSC World Asia and the coin ceremony for the upcoming MSC World Atlantic.
The two new ships, currently known as World Class 7 and 8, are to be delivered in 2030 and 2031. This brings MSC’s total investment in the World Class series to a staggering 78 billion DKK, distributed across eight ships.
“What our shipyard is achieving today is absolutely unique – four new ships ordered in 2025. The World Class series is proof of our teams’ competencies and MSC’s vision,” said the shipyard’s director, Laurent Castaing, at the ceremony.
According to Pierfrancesco Vago, who is the head of MSC’s cruise division, the order shows confidence in the industry’s future. He highlights the ships’ energy efficiency and use of LNG as a transition fuel on the path towards greener alternatives, writes Maritime-Executive.
The World Class ships are built with multiple themed districts on board, so passengers get different experiences on one and the same ship.
MSC World Asia will enter service in the Mediterranean in December 2026, with weekly routes to, among others, Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia, Messina, and Valletta. MSC World Atlantic will be delivered in 2027 and will be based in Port Canaveral for Caribbean routes from the /28 season.
The World Class series began with MSC World Europa in 2022. MSC World America entered service this year, and a further four ships are planned for delivery between 2028 and 2031. Construction of the newest orders will begin in 2029.
-emte
