MSC Cruises' third World Class ship is called MSC World AsiaMSC Cruises' third World Class ship is called MSC World Asia

The event drew a crowd as Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises, signed a piece of the first steel for the 2026 newbuild, which had been cut at Saint-Nazaire on Sunday and flown to Miami on an MSC Air Cargo jet.

Leaders of MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l'Atlantique autographed a piece of the first steel cut for the newly named MSC World Asia

MSC World Asia is the sister of MSC World America, whose float-out at Saint-Nazaire was also announced. MSC World America is due to begin sailing from the new MSC mega-terminal at PortMiami in April 2025.

MSC World America was floated out at Saint-Nazaire. The ship is scheduled for its US debut in 2025

Vago said MSC World Asia would have 'even more advanced new features,' and Laurent Castaing, GM of Chantiers de l'Atlantique, added 'MSC wants to stay far ahead' on energy efficiency and customer-pleasing features.

The 215,863gt, LNG-powered ship will have a lower carbon footprint than others before it.

Ready for future fuels

According to Castaing, technical components include a small steam turbine to reuse waste heat and new engines that will be 'far ahead' of what we've done today' and ready to use 'all kinds of fuel,' whether that be bioLNG, synthetic LNG or methanol.

He noted MSC World Asia is the 20th ship Chantiers de l'Atlantique builds for MSC in 20 years.

Where will it go?

As for the name — is it a hint of where the ship will be deployed? — the world will have to wait and see. MSC said only that the name follows the format of the other World Class ships that pay homage to different continents. The series began with MSC World Europa in 2022.