On October 26th, MSC Explora Journeys marked two milestones in the construction of its fleet at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa,, with the float-out of EXPLORA V and the coin ceremony for EXPLORA VI, the 5th and 6th ships in the series.
Following the delivery of EXPLORA III in July 2026, EXPLORA IV is scheduled to enter service in spring 2027, with EXPLORA V expected towards the end of that year. EXPLORA VI is scheduled to debut in summer 2028, completing the brand’s initial 6-ship fleet.
The ceremonies brought together representatives of national and local institutions, maritime authorities and the industry, including MSC Group Cruise Division Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago, Explora Journeys President Anna Nash, Fincantieri CEO and Managing Director Pierroberto Folgiero, and Luigi Matarazzo, General Manager of Fincantieri’s Merchant Ships Division.
Nash and Camilla Ronco, PRS Workshop Manager at the Sestri Ponente shipyard, served as godmothers for EXPLORA VI’s coin ceremony, placing commemorative coins inside the ship in keeping with maritime tradition. Consuelo Brunelli, a Fincantieri Production Planner, served as godmother for the ribbon-cutting ceremony marking EXPLORA V’s float-out. Nash described her appointment as a significant personal milestone and said that, although EXPLORA VI would complete the brand’s first six ships, it would not mark the end of Explora Journeys’ development.
All MSC Explora ships are equipped for shore power connectivity, allowing them to connect to local electricity grids in port and shut down their engines, eliminating direct emissions from onboard power generation while connected. EXPLORA III was the fleet’s first LNG-powered vessel, and EXPLORA V and EXPLORA VI will also use LNG, with designs intended to accommodate renewable and next-generation fuels, including bio-LNG, synthetic LNG and biofuels.
In addition, EXPLORA 6 will feature fuel-cell technology to support more efficient energy generation, while EXPLORA 5 is being designed to allow for its installation in the future. These measures form part of MSC's long-term energy transition strategy, combining advanced marine technologies with the increased use of lower-emission and renewable fuels.