On July 10, Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela visited MSC World Europa in Valletta as the ship marked the inauguration of the port’s shore power facility, which is reported to be the first operational one in the Mediterranean.

According to a press release, it was indicated that while MSC World Europa was docked in Valletta, the local power grid was utilized to supply electricity for all of the ship’s operations, enabling the shutdown of all engines and thus eliminating the vessel’s direct emissions at the port, which contributed to an improvement in local air quality.

During his visit, the Prime Minister, along with other officials from the Maltese government, was guided through the 22-deck LNG-powered ship by Captain Stefano Battinelli. Additionally, Michele Francioni, MSC Cruises’ Chief Energy Transition Officer, outlined the company’s strategy for decarbonization, which includes achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for its marine operations.

The ship is scheduled to operate seven-night cruises connecting Malta, Spain, France, and Italy throughout 2024 and 2025.

Michele Francioni also expressed the significance of shore power as a critical component of MSC Cruises’ ongoing commitment to decarbonization. He noted that most of their fleet is equipped to eliminate local emissions and improve air quality at ports by switching off engines and using local shoreside electricity for operations.

He praised Malta by stating: “It was a great honor 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.”

MSC Cruises has set a target to equip 16 of its 22 vessels with shore power connections by the end of 2024, aiming for 220 connections across ports in China, Norway, Germany, the UK, and Malta.