MSC World Asia: MSC Cruises announces name of third World Class ship

MSC Cruises announced Tuesday at the Seatrade Cruise Global show in Miami the achievement of two important milestones in the design of its futuristic World Class ships - the start of construction of the new MSC World Asia and the maiden sailing of the flagship MSC World America.

The first milestone was the official start of work on the construction of the ship, hitherto known as World 3, which is due to enter service in 2026. At a ceremony to cut the first steel, marking the start of work on the ship, the company traditionally revealed the name of the new ship - MSC World Asia. As the name suggests, the new ship is based on the concept of World Class ships, which pay homage to the world's continents and symbolise the global nature of MSC Cruises. According to a press release, the new ship is to include distinctive design and technical features inspired by this magnificent continent.

A few days earlier, her sister ship MSC World America completed the first phase of her construction, finishing the construction of the main hull sections and going to sea, where she sailed to the dock next door, where finishing work will take place. The new ultra-modern flagship is due to be officially unveiled on 9 September. April 2025 at a ceremony at MSC Cruises' new terminal in the Port of Miami, from where she will sail on a celebratory cruise to the nearby private Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (we wrote more about the planned ceremony here).

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, commented: "MSC World America is another example of the incredible professional partnership between us and Chantiers de l'Atlantique, with whom we have designed five distinct and innovative prototypes - the latest being the ground-breaking World Class platform. With each ship, we strive to improve and enhance not only the eco-friendly technology, but also new features that enrich the guest experience. MSC World Asia continues this tradition, and with this important milestone of a celebratory steel cutting, we are pleased to confirm that it will offer even more advanced new features in terms of forward-thinking maritime and onboard hospitality technology as well as guest experiences."

World class ships are characterised by their eye-catching silhouette and distinctive bow that rises vertically from sea level, as well as a stylish Y-shaped stern that opens up an impressive outdoor promenade within the ship. These ships are ultra-modern urban metropolises at sea, offering a wide variety of experiences - with more than 40,000 square metres of public space on 22 decks, with more than 2,600 cabins and apertures. On top of this, it also offers the largest Yacht Club in the MSC Cruises fleet to date, an exclusive "ship within a ship" concept with unparalleled levels of comfort and generous public spaces.

MSC World Asia will become the fourth ship in the fleet to be powered by LNG (liquefied natural gas), currently the most environmentally friendly marine fuel.

Sources: MSC Cruises, Cruise Industry News