MSC Group’s Cruise Division has announced that it reached another milestone in its decarbonization journey, as the MSC World Europa and Explora II connected to shore power at Valletta’s Grand Harbor on October 15 and October 16, 2025.

The occasion was marked during an event in Valletta attended by the Prime Minister of Malta, Dr. Robert Abela and senior government officials.

The company said in a press release that the back-to-back connections mark a first for the company, with the Explora II becoming the first Explora Journeys’ ship to connect to shore-side electricity in Europe.

Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division, said: “These connections show how technology, investment and partnership can deliver immediate environmental benefits.”

“Malta was the first Mediterranean port to make shore power operational, and together we are now proving that sustainable infrastructure can support both environmental goals and the growth of cruise tourism,” added Vago.

“We have a strong history of collaboration with the Maltese Government; we thank them for their continued support and are proud to mark this important milestone together.”

Prime Minister of Malta, Dr Robert Abela, said: “Our collaboration with global partners such as MSC Group shows how Malta can combine economic growth with environmental progress.”

“The shore-power system at the Grand Harbor is a national investment in cleaner air, quieter communities and sustainable tourism. It is encouraging to see international cruise operators like MSC actively using the facility and helping us set an example for the Mediterranean region,” added Abela.

The press release said that both connections took place alongside the GreenPort Congress 20th Anniversary and Decarbonizing the Future (DTF) Conference 2025, underscoring the Cruise Division’s ongoing commitment to cleaner port operations and Malta’s pivotal role in supporting the European Union’s Fit for 55 plan.

MSC Cruises added that it has fitted shore power capability as standard on all new ships since 2017 and is working to retrofit other vessels in the fleet.

Today, 18 of MSC Group’s Cruise Division’s 25 vessels are equipped to connect to shore-side electricity, with additional installations underway.

In 2024, MSC Cruises connected to shore power in 13 ports and made 142 successful connections, more than triple the previous year.