by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 11:00 AM ET, Mon August 5, 2024
MSC Cruises is launching a new route optimization tool that’s poised to cut ships’ emissions by up to 15 percent in 2026.
Called OptiCruise, the itinerary planning technology will help MSC’s fleet achieve maximum efficiency while sailing around the world.
The company developed the tool in partnership with OPTIMeasy, a research company affiliated to the University of Genoa. It was created under the European Union’s funded Project CHEK, which supports research on low-carbon shipping solutions. It may someday be used across the entire cruise industry.
The tool, which relies on a mathematical model, takes into account the sequencing of port calls, departure and arrival times, the ship’s speed, the appeal and attractiveness of destinations for a traveler, shore excursions and operational costs such as fuel, port charges and food provisions.
Since itinerary planning typically takes place two years in advance, OptiCruise will start making an impact in 2026 across MSC’s fleet of 24 ships. Already, MSC Bellissima tested the prototype technology over the course of a year as it sailed to 17 ports in the Mediterranean.
The new tool will help MSC Cruises achieve its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 for its marine operations.
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