MSC Cruises’ first Meraviglia-Plus cruise ship, MSC Grandiosa, has successfully completed its first intensive systems tests at sea during three-day trials.
The tests were conducted in the Atlantic Ocean from August 28 to 31, 2019, the cruise company said.
Floated out in January this year, the 181,000 GT MSC Grandiosa will next receive its finishing touches at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint Nazaire, France, before being officially delivered to MSC Cruises on October 31.
The ship has a total passenger capacity of 6,334 and will feature some of the latest marine technologies and systems. It will become MSC Cruises’ most efficient and environmentally cleanest ship, according to the company.
MSC Grandiosa is due to become the third Meraviglia ship to enter MSC Cruises’ fleet, and the first of three Meraviglia-Plus ships, which feature larger tonnage and guest capacity than the first two Meraviglia ships – MSC Meraviglia and MSC Bellissima.
The newbuild is equipped with two new technological innovations including a selective catalytic reduction system to decrease nitrogen oxide emissions by 90 percent and transform it into pure water and nitrogen. The ship is also fitted with a wastewater treatment system that will lead to nearly zero impact on discharges and allow it to operate in delicate environments such as the Baltic Sea and Alaska.
The new environmental features add to other effective technologies deployed on MSC Grandiosa to further reduce its environmental impact including an exhaust gas cleaning system, systems for the prevention of oil discharge from machinery spaces, a ballast water treatment system and various energy-saving improvements.
The cruise ship will be christened at a ceremony in Hamburg on November 9 ahead of its inaugural season in the Western Mediterranean with maiden calls from its Genoa homeport to Civitavecchia, Palermo, Valletta, Barcelona and Marseilles.