On October 12, Explora Journeys, the travel brand of MSC Group, hosted a naming ceremony for the LNG-powered cruise ship Explora I in New York City. Dr. Sylvia Earle, a renowned marine biologist and oceanographer, served as the ship’s godmother at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.
Explora I, the first of six luxury vessels constructed by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri in a €3.5 billion deal, embarked on its maiden voyage in July. It initially sailed in Northern Europe before crossing the Atlantic to reach New York, with stops along the way in Iceland, Greenland, and Canada.
Throughout the autumn, the ship will remain in North America, spend the winter in the Caribbean, and head to the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii in the spring. In the summer of 2024, it will return to Europe for a series of Mediterranean sailings.
All the Explora Journeys ships are equipped with state-of-the-art environmental and marine technologies, including selective catalytic reduction technology, shore power plug-in connectivity, and underwater noise management systems to protect marine life. Additionally, these vessels are equipped with a wide range of onboard energy-efficient equipment to optimize engine usage and reduce emissions.
Explora II is set to enter service in the summer of 2024, operating in the Mediterranean Sea and the Middle East until April 2025.
Subsequently, Explora III and Explora IV, both powered by liquefied natural gas, are scheduled to begin service in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
In 2027 and 2028, Explora V and Explora VI will join the fleet, incorporating energy efficiency measures and the capability to use alternative fuels like bio and synthetic gas. Notably, these two ships will explore the use of liquid hydrogen with fuel cells for hotel operations while docked in ports, effectively eliminating carbon emissions with the vessels’ engines turned off.
