Massive Ship Order: MSC Cruises Commits $11.7 Billion for Four New 180,000 GT Ships (5,400 Capacity)

The fastest growing cruise line is not showing any signs of slowing down. MSC Cruises has placed an order for at least four new ships with German shipyard Meyer Werft in Papenburg, with the option to add two more.

Just a month after announcing that two more World-class ships (the 7^th and 8^th of the class) were on order with the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, MSC Cruises put in an order for four ships of a new class to be built in Germany. 

The new class, with an expected max passenger capacity of 5,400, has been dubbed “New Frontier” for now, and the 180,000 gross ton ships are scheduled to be delivered starting in 2030.

This size ship is comparable to the cruise line’s Meraviglia Plus-class ships, which are about 181,000 gross tons (MSC Euribia is 184,011 GT).

This €10 billion ($11.7 billion) ship order is expected to keep Meyer Werft busy for over ten years.

Meyer Wert CEO, Dr Bernd Eikens, stated: “This long-term partnership with MSC Cruises ensures sustainable growth and job security for many years to come. Today is a truly positive and significant day for everyone at Meyer Werft—our employees and our partners alike.”

Order Timeline

The delivery of the four new vessels is scheduled to begin in 2030, with one ship arriving each year afterward. With the two extra optional vessels included, which would make for a total of 6 “New Frontier” ships, the work under this agreement is set to keep the shipyard operating at capacity through 2035.

A primary focus of the 180,000 GT “New Frontier” design is environmental performance, as the ships will feature next-generation environmental technologies to support MSC Cruises’ goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The order was officially announced on December 15 in Berlin, with officials present including Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche, Energy Minister-President of Lower Saxony Olaf Lies, alongside executives from both MSC Cruises and Meyer Werft.

Impact and Executive Statements

This project is expected to bring a lot of jobs and continued support to the local German economy as well, with over 3,000 employees already working at Mery Werft.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, commented on the partnership:

“MEYER WERFT’s track record, expertise and proud history make it a true beacon of European shipbuilding. Together, we will create vessels that redefine the cruise experience… The New Frontier class will enable us to design new and exclusive itineraries, offer exceptional guest experience and will feature next-generation environmental technologies that will advance our net-zero 2050 commitment.”

MSC Cruises currently has 23 ships in the fleet with MSC World Asia, (the 3rd World-class ship) scheduled to be delivered next year.