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MSC Orders Two Mega Cruise Ships From Chantiers de l'Atlantique for €3.5 Billion

The deal caps four MSC orders this year, extending Saint-Nazaire’s World Class program through 2031.

Overview

  • The new two-ship contract lifts MSC’s 2025 commitments at the Saint-Nazaire yard to four vessels worth about €7 billion, taking the World Class series to eight units in total.
  • Executives say the latest orders add more than 15 million work hours, with unions citing plans for roughly 400 permanent hires next year across the yard’s workforce.
  • Each ship measures roughly 330–333 meters in length and 47 meters in width with capacity for about 6,700–6,800 passengers, placing them among the world’s largest cruise vessels.
  • Chantiers de l’Atlantique and MSC highlight dual-fuel LNG and fuel-oil propulsion, with claimed CO2 emissions reductions of up to around 20% versus previous generations.
  • TF1 reports construction of the two ships is slated to begin in 2029 for deliveries in 2030 and 2031, aligning with a broader investment program totaling €10.5 billion through 2031.