Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

MSC Cruises drives sustainability in Barcelona with electric tour buses

CRUISE_MSC_Grandiosa_Barcelona.jpg
MSC Grandiosa in Port of Barcelona
MSC Cruises will operate its Barcelona summer shore excursion programme using electric buses as part of the line’s ongoing sustainability drive.

MSC is committed to achieve net zero carbon emission operations by 2050.

Daily excursions from Barcelona number between 20 and 25 journeys and the use of electric buses will make an annual saving of nearly 10,500 kilograms of CO2 emissions compared to petrol-fueled vehicles. The electric buses are also significantly quieter.

Increasing uptake

MSC Cruises estimated the new electric buses will transport up to 2,000 passengers every week during the summer from Barcelona and it is working with local tour operators to increase the figure to 4,000 with more eco-friendly buses to join its sustainable ground transport fleet.

The buses will be available this summer for passengers calling at Barcelona onboard MSC Armonia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Divina, MSC Fantasia, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Lirica, MSC Magnifica, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Opera, MSC Orchestra, MSC Poesia, MSC Seaview and MSC Virtuosa.

New terminal

MSC Cruises’ new 11,670sq mtr cruise terminal at Barcelona is due to open in 2024 and sustainability features will be incorporated. The terminal is on track to be Gold rated under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standard, a widely used global green building rating system.