MSC Cruises has officially taken delivery of its new flagship MSC Seaview. MSC Seaview is the cruise line’s third ship to come into service in just 12 months.
Hot on the heels of MSC Seaside coming into service at the end of 2017, MSC Seaview is ready to start sailing her inaugural season in the Mediterranean. The ship represents a key highlight for 2018 as she is the one MSC Cruises new-build coming into service this year, the second ship to be built by Fincantieri, the third ship to be completed in just 12 months, and the 15th ship to join the MSC Cruises global fleet.
The ship with her iconic design and generous outdoor public spaces will be a game changer for guests who want to make the most of the sun and outdoors, whilst enjoying the sea during their cruise experience.
The delivery ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone (Italy) took place in the presence of Gianluigi Aponte, the shipowner as well as Founder and Executive Chairman of MSC Group. Also present at the ceremony were Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, other members of the Aponte and Aponte-Vago families, Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, as well as other regional and local authorities and dignitaries.
“MSC Seaview will bring yet another new distinctively innovative MSC Cruises product to the market as she boasts cutting edge design, and features the latest marine and environmental technology. She is an example of our commitment to bring the best and most innovative tonnage to the market, and our ambition to set each time a new standard in the industry. The Seaside class is yet another brand new, highly-innovative prototype that we introduce – the 5th to date, since we entered the cruising industry only 15 years ago. Moreover, I am proud to say, together with her sister ship MSC Seaside, it is the biggest ship ever built in Italy.” – MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago
During today’s delivery ceremony, which pays tribute to an important maritime tradition, Roberto Olivari, Fincantieri’s shipyard director, handed over to Pier Paolo Scala, Master of MSC Seaview, an ampoule holding the first water that touched the hull when the ship was floated out last year.
MSC Seaview is the second ship in the Seaside Class and, just like her sister ship MSC Seaside, is pushing the boundaries of pioneering ship building and design. MSC Seaview will be one of the more innovative ships at sea, also when it comes to the environmental technology that she will feature. MSC Seaview reaches the greatest levels of eco-compatibility thanks to the various innovative measures that are put in place which help reduce the environmental footprint during operations. These include, amongst others, the exhaust gas cleaning system, the advanced waste water treatment, systems for the prevention of oil discharge from machinery spaces, the ballast water treatment system, and the ship’s Environmental Management Plan.
The newest addition to the MSC Cruises’ fleet will be officially inaugurated in Genoa on 9 June and will commence her inaugural cruise on 10 June. MSC Seaview will sail in the Mediterranean for her inaugural summer season and in South America for the winter season.