Tradebytes

MSC Crociere expands fleet

ETW STAFF - Mumbai

At a press conference of MSC Crociere in Milano, Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Crociere and Domenico Pellegrino, general manager of MSC Crociere in the presence of Jacques Hardelay, general manager of Aker Yards France, announced the expansion of the MSC Crociere fleet with the order of a further two units from the Aker Yards France of St Nazaire.

The new ships - due for delivery in 2011 and 2012 - will be called MSC Meraviglia and MSC Favolosa and will be the fifth and sixth sister ships in the Musica class, with 93,000 tons of gross tonnage, 1,275 cabins and a maximum occupancy of 3,013 passengers.

MSC Meraviglia and MSC Favolosa will join the current fleet, adding up to a total of 14 ships and over 1 million and 400 thousand passengers to be carried by 2012. "The new orders are the result of a careful evaluation of trends in the cruise industry in recent years," said Pellegrino. During the first months of 2008, the cruise market grew by 13 per cent while in the same period, the company recorded an increase equal to 32 per cent in terms of passengers. This result was achieved also thanks to the confidence that the sales channel has been showing us year after year. Based on these figures, we may indeed foresee a rosy future for both the cruise sector and MSC Crociere."

Construction will start on MSC Meraviglia and MSC Favolosa under the guidance of the Korean STX Shipbuilding at the Aker Yards France. " We look forward to continuing our innovative cooperation with MSC Crociere in order to offer unique cruise experiences to MSC Crociere's passengers," said Hardelay.