Fincantieri construction kicks off of the new MSC Miami terminal

The construction of the new MSC Cruises terminal kicked off in Miami today with the “laying of the first stone”. MSC Cruises is the world’s third-ranking cruise line brand owned by the MSC Group, a global leader in the shipping and logistics sector. The construction work, carried out by Fincantieri Infrastructure in what is considered to be the world capital of cruise tourism, will be the largest state-of-the-art terminal in the United States and one of the most important internationally, which will be able to simultaneously harbour three latest-generation and low environmental impact ships such as MSC Cruises’ future LNG-fuelled ships which are scheduled to become operational in the upcoming months, handling up to 36,000 passengers a day.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman di MSC Cruises, stated: “This initiative represents a further important step in the long-standing and fruitful collaboration between MSC and Fincantieri. Together with other leading economic players of the "Italian System" such as Intesa Sanpaolo, CDP, Sace and Simest, we are partners of a project that honors the Italian know-how and engineering skills in the world, called upon to engage in the American cruise market. It will be the largest and most technologically advanced terminal in the United States, a new benchmark in the sector, as well as one of the most significant investments made in Miami.

It will allow our Company to strengthen and further grow in the most important and competitive cruise market in the world”. Giuseppe Bono, Chief Executive Officer of Fincantieri, commented: “The beginning of works on this big facility is the crowning achievement performed by our Group over the last years. We have been capable of further consolidating our relationship with MSC, based on innovation and constant improvement, and we have at the same time undertaken business initiatives that have enabled us to expand our competences, also with a view to offering our customers cutting-edge products and services. This new futuristic terminal will therefore not only be the expression of the very best that the Made in Italy brand can offer but also of the success of our business strategies”.

With an iconic design developed by the multi-award-winning international architecture firm Arquitectonica, the new terminal will feature a multi-level four-floor central body and innovative «environmentally advanced» solutions, including the possibility of a shore-to-ship power supply, thus further reducing emissions from ships at dock. It is scheduled to begin operations by the end of 2023. In addition to offering state-of-the-art passenger service facilities, the new terminal will also be endowed with several office spaces, a multi-level parking for approximately 2,400 vehicles and envisages the construction of a new road connection.

 Moreover, the project also provides for the construction of two modern and efficient docks, measuring 750 meters in total. A third berth will be built by Miami-Dade County. Lastly, the project includes the construction of related seashore infrastructure, including water and power supply stations. The new cruise facility will cost approximately 350 million euros and represents one of the largest investments recently made in the United States by an Italian-led multinational corporation like the MSC Group, in partnership with Italian centres of excellence as Fincantieri, number one in shipbuilding 2 at global level. Both these corporations are the best qualified ambassadors of the Made in Italy brand in the world.

In the light of the project’s strategic relevance for Italy’s economy and its support for exports, MSC was assured the financing for the operation by Intesa Sanpaolo and CDP. The loan is guaranteed by SACE with the contribution of SIMEST in terms of providing rate stability and interest subsidies. The relationship between MSC and Fincantieri has progressively consolidated over the last decade, with MSC’s Cruise Division commissioning up to eight ships from Fincantieri – four for the MSC Cruises brand and four for the Explora Journeys brand – for a total value of almost 6 billion euros, with a spillover effect on the Italian economy amounting to approximately 27 billion euros.

 At present, MSC has two options for two additional ships for Explora Journeys and there is the possibility of new orders for both brands. Therefore, the MSC Group is not only one of the main customers of the Italian shipbuilding group but also one of the major investors in Italy, where its direct spending amounts to 3.5 billion euros every year and where it employs nearly 15,000 workers, while being a source of employment for more than 50,000 people.