First shore power facility in the Mediterranean goes live

MSC World Europa, an LNG-powered cruise ship owned by MSC Cruises, has officially inaugurated a shore power facility in Valletta, Malta. This is the first operational shore power facility in the Mediterranean Sea.

The facility was launched on July 10 in the presence of Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela.

Valetta’s local power grid supplied electricity for all MSC World Europa’s operations while the ship was berthed, allowing all engines to be switched off and eliminating the vessel’s direct emissions at the port to improve local air quality.  

Michele Francioni, Chief Energy Transition Officer, MSC Cruises, said: “Shore power is one very important element of our continued commitment towards decarbonisation with most of our fleet equipped to eliminate local emissions and improve local air quality when the ships are at berth in port, and we can switch off their engines as local shoreside electricity powers the operation.

“It was a great honour to show the Prime Minister of Malta of how his country has led the way for shore power in the Mediterranean Sea, our major market for holidays at sea, and we look forward to many more ports in the region and throughout the world being equipped in the future so that the cruise and broader maritime sector can further reduce local emissions in ports.”

Under its strategy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 for its marine operations, MSC Cruises has identified three pillars of activity: ship and engine technology – which includes shore power connectivity, operational efficiency, and renewable fuels.

By the end of 2024, MSC Cruises plans to have 16 of 22 vessels equipped to receive shoreside electricity at a port as well as 220 shore power connections among its fleet at destinations in China, Norway, Germany, the UK, and Malta.  As more ports make shore power available, MSC Cruises’ ships will use local electricity grids.  

The company aims to add at least 15 new ports to its shore power plan between 2024 and 2026.  Among them are Barcelona, Hamburg, Valencia, Marseille, Copenhagen, and five in Italy at Genoa, La Spezia, Civitavecchia, Naples and Trieste, and the company’s new cruise terminal in Miami that will become fully operational next year.