The shipbuilder said that the vessel had been transferred to a wet dock before it was delivered in July 2021 to allow work on its interior.

MSC Seashore is the third of a total of four Seaside class ships, followed by MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, which were launched in 2017 and 2018, and the first of two enriched Seaside Evo ships.

“MSC Seashore will in fact be the largest and most innovative cruise vessel ever built in Italy, featuring the latest and most advanced environmental technology currently available. She will also be one of two new ships for which we will receive delivery in 2021 thus underlying our belief in the long-term growth prospects of the sector – as also demonstrated by the return to service of our first ship earlier this week,” Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises stated.

MSC Cruises resumed sailing in Italy with MSC Grandiosa leaving Genoa on 17 August, the first of the company's ships to return to service following a break due to the effects of COVID-19.

The 169,500 GT ship with a maximum capacity of 5,877 guests will be fitted with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system to reduce nitrogen oxide by 90 per cent and an advanced wastewater treatment system (AWTS) for wastewater treatment.

The vessel will also be fitted with shore-to-ship power systems that link the docked cruise ship to the port's local power grid to further minimize air pollution.

Already, MSC Cruises has three LNG-powered vessels, one of which is currently under construction.

Maritime Business World