The MSC Fantasia underwent a drydock in Malta this past October, where it received both general hotel and technical maintenance, and the installation of shore power, as stated by Emilio La Scala, president and managing director of MSC Cruises Management UK.

Additionally, he gave more details on MSC Cruises sending the MSC Bellissima to the Huarun Dadong Dockyard in Shanghai in November for routine maintenance and repair, marking the first time any vessel from their fleet has used a drydock in China. “The choice of the yard was to make best use of the ship’s deployment in the Far East and the timing is based on her drydock cycle stipulated for class renewal.” The Bellissima spent two weeks in drydock, getting a new hull coating, various maintenance work, and updates to cabins and public areas in preparation for its 2024 China debut.

Looking ahead to 2024, La Scala revealed plans for six cruise vessels – the Armonia, Opera, Musica, Magnifica, Splendida, and Grandiosa – to undergo drydocking in Malta, a facility in which MSC has an investment. The work planned for these ships includes routine hull maintenance, painting, machinery and electrical maintenance, refurbishments of cabins and public areas, and inspections for class renewal. The Musica, Magnifica, and Splendida will additionally be fitted for shore power.

La Scala also highlighted other efficiency upgrades, such as transitioning to LED lighting and updating HVAC systems.

He noted that while their fleet is relatively young, older ships still require more maintenance and upgrades to uphold the highest standards. “At times obsolete or limited availability for spare parts means there is a requirement for equipment and component upgrades and in some cases, energy efficiency improvements, such as introduction of LED lighting and other devices, as well as the upgrade of HVAC systems, are also carried out to further reduce emissions.”

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, MSC Cruises managed to keep its maintenance schedule on track by utilizing the warm lay up periods in 2020 and 2021. La Scala has a comprehensive drydock plan extending ten years into the future, conforming to classification society rules. “We book the dry dock availability in five-year time frames because the vast majority of work that needs to be conducted cannot be done when the vessel is in operation.”

La Scala emphasized the importance of advance planning, “Our fundamental approach is to plan far in advance what work needs to be done. This requires detailed planning, hard work, dedication and a paramount attention to detail.”