A major technical failure aboard MSC World Europa left the cruise ship adrift for hours before its propulsion system was “partially restored,” allowing it to limp into Naples on Monday.
The ship, which has a max capacity of 6,762 passengers, experienced the breakdown off the coast of Ponza. The incident prompted a swift emergency response from the Italian Coast Guard.
The Breakdown
According to news reports and social media reports, MSC World Europa experienced a technical problem that brought it to a standstill. A passenger on board said the engines had been off since as early as 5:30 a.m., nearly two hours before the official report was made to the Coast Guard.
While the vessel’s generators kept all on-board services running, including pools and restaurants, the ship was unable to move under its own power.
The Italian Coast Guard, which was quickly on the scene with patrol boats and a helicopter, confirmed the ship had reported an “electrical problem with the engines.”
Built at a cost of over €1 billion ($1.16 billion USD), the World Europa is the first ship in the MSC fleet to be powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), a greener fuel designed to reduce emissions.
The ship was launched in December 2022 as the first World-class ship with the cruise line.
What’s Next for the Cruise
After its engines were partially restored by the on-board technical crew, the ship was expected to reach Naples around 9 p.m. local time, well behind its scheduled arrival time.
News outlets have reported that two tugboats from the ports of Gioia Tauro and Naples assisted in bringing the vessel to Naples.
This delay has impacted thousands of passengers planning to disembark or begin their trip in Naples.
MSC Cruises will be conducting a “thorough technical check” once the ship is in port. The company added that, “barring any further problems,” the ship will set sail on Tuesday morning for its next scheduled stop in Messina.
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