MSC Cruises will be the first cruise operator to install ‘Safe Air’ onboard its fleet. With the new technology the quality and cleanliness of the air on board cruise ships will improve thus reducing the risk of viruses. MSC Seashore will be the first ship to be equipped with the new technology.
MSC Cruises will be the first cruise line in the world to install a new and advanced innovative technology sanitation system called ‘Safe Air’. The new air sanitation technology will improve the quality and cleanliness of the onboard air for guests and crew.
‘Safe Air’ will be fitted on MSC Seashore, one of the largest and most technologically advanced ships ever built in Italy and currently under construction at shipbuilder Fincantieri’s Monfalcone yard. The new flagship is set to be delivered in July 2021. It will be the first of two ‘Seaside Evo’ Class ships.
The ‘Safe Air’ next-generation sanitation system is based on the technology of UV-C lamps which are type C ultraviolet rays applied in combination with the ship’s air conditioning system, whereby air flow is radiated at source with a short wavelength light that hits organic particles and prevents the circulation of air pollutants such as viruses, bacteria and mold.
The ‘Safe Air’ sanitation system was developed by Fincantieri’s designers and technicians and the virology laboratory of the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, a leading global research institute headquartered in Trieste, Italy. The Institute provides businesses with scientific support to develop innovative technological solutions for the control of virus infections, which is particularly relevant today given the current global pandemic.
MSC Cruises’ effective response to the health challenges faced by the worldwide travel and tourism sector has been to set the highest safety standards with a health and safety protocol that has been in operation since 16 August when its ship MSC Grandiosa resumed 7-night sailings in the West Mediterranean.
Grandiosa has now completed nine voyages with more than 16,000 guests and has been joined this week by MSC Magnifica with longer and enriched 10-night cruises in the West and East Mediterranean.
Also read: MSC Magnifica sets sail with 10-night cruise holidays in Mediterranean
MSC Cruises’ new health and safety protocol goes beyond the guidance from the relevant authorities in the countries where the ships sail to set a new standard for the cruise industry, as well as other aspects of travel, tourism, leisure and hospitality, particularly with respect to universal testing.
All guests go through universal health screening before boarding a ship which comprises three comprehensive steps – a temperature check, a review of a personal health questionnaire and a COVID-19 antigen swab test. Crew are tested up to three times before being permitted to start their work.
Also read: Health and safety measures on board MSC Grandiosa
Other aspects of the health and safety protocol cover elevated sanitation and cleaning, protected ‘bubble’ shore excursions, facemasks and maintaining social distancing, enhanced onboard medical facilities, daily health monitoring and a robust contingency plan.
MSC Seaside Class
Just like sister ships MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, MSC Seashore will feature some of the latest technologies and solutions available to reduce her environmental footprint. These notably include a state-of-the-art selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system and a next-generation advanced wastewater treatment (AWT) system. SCR reduces nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 per cent through advanced active emissions control technology and an AWT systems take wastewater through a comprehensive process of purification and very fine filtration that transforms it into nearly tap-water quality. MSC Seashore will also be fitted with shore-to-ship power capabilities that allow the vessel to connect to local power grids while at berth, further reducing air emissions while docked.
In summer 2021, all three Seaside class ships will be deployed together in the Western Mediterranean. The ships have been designed for the warmer weather making them perfect for the summer season for guests who want to enjoy the sunshine and stunning ocean views in this popular cruise region.
MSC Seashore will offer the popular ‘Six Pearls’ itinerary calling the Italian cities of Genoa and, for visits to Pompeii, Naples; Messina, Sicily; Valletta, Malta; Barcelona, Spain and Marseille, France. MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview operate ever-popular 7-night cruises in the West Mediterranean homeporting in Genoa.