MSC Group's Explora Journeys marked the keel laying for the 2nd of 4 ships, EXPLORA 2, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia (near Naples Italy).
The special occasion was officiated by senior executives from the Group and Fincantieri.
The MSC Explora 2 ship ("Explora II", currently on order) is the second in a series of four MSC EXPLORA-class expedition ships, with sisters Explora 1 (2023), Explora 3 (2025) and Explora 4 (2026). These boats are owned by MSC and operated as a separate fleet under the company's new luxury brand MSC EXPLORA JOURNEYS.
Scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2024, EXPLORA 2 is a replica of the primary vessel, Explora 1, which is being built at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy (due to enter service in May 2023).
Michael Ungerer, Chief Executive Officer for Explora Journeys, said they were thrilled to witness that key milestone for Explora Journeys, which alerted their agency's dedication to launching a luxurious way of life model that included efficient sustainability planning and maximized social and financial advantages for the communities that their ships would go to and depart an optimistic legacy for the subsequent era.
EXPLORA 2 will be fitted with a total of 461 oceanfront suites, penthouses, and residences. The newbuild features 9 restaurants, 10 indoor & outdoor bars and lounges.
The Fincantieri Monfalcone-built EXPLORA-class vessels have building cost EUR 495 million (USD 600M) per unit.
MSC Explora 2 vessel's construction officially started on October 6, 2021, with the steel-cutting ceremony held at Regio Cantiere di Castellammare di Stabia (Royal Dockyard of Castellammare di Stabia/near Naples). The boat will be constructed at Fincantieri's Sestri Ponente Shipyard (in Genoa).
Explora Journeys' boats are fitted with the maritime industry's latest technologies for protecting the environment and also prepared to adopt alternative energy sources (hybrid powerplant) when they become widely available in the near future.
MSC EXPLORA-class ship design incorporates provisions for battery storage (allowing energy generation by a hybrid powerplant) as well as the latest SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction/aka wet scrubbers) technology for reducing NOx emissions by 90%. The ships are fitted with shoreside power capabilities (for eliminating CO emissions while port-berthed) and marine diesel engines running on LSFO (low sulfur fuel oil).
The four boats will be RINA-certified (by RINA DOLPHIN) for reducing underwater noise and vibrations. By MSC's sustainable policies, single-use plastics are not used both on the ships and ashore.