Travelbeat Inside Information Update: January 23, 2008 MSC EMBRACES CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT CRUISE FLEET ESTABLISHES ITSELF AS A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL LEADER, WITH FOUR CERTIFICATIONS IN 2007 MSC Cruises has firmly established itself as a global leader in terms of corporate responsibility and environmental friendliness, winning no less than four environmental protection certifications last year. In the past 12-months, MSC Cruises has been awarded ... - CIAL certification for the collection and recycling of aluminium - UNI EN ISO 9002/1994 and UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 certifications for safeguarding environmental aspects - ISO 14001 Environmental Protection certification from Bureau Veritas - Venice Blue Flag - a voluntary agreement aimed at reducing emissions and safeguarding the artistic and cultural integrity of Venice According to the agreement with CIAL (the Italian National Consortium for the Collection and Recycling of Aluminium), all aluminium waste products used on ships departing from Genoa and Venice will be recycled in the ports of Genoa and Bari. In the second half of 2007, MSC Cruises collected approximately 15-tonnes of aluminium, enough to produce 1,300 bicycles - and a 95% saving on the energy produce aluminium from its raw material, bauxite. In a global precedent, MSC was the first cruise company to obtain the UNI EN ISO 9002/1994 & UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 certificates in July 2007. Later, the company and its entire fleet were certified with an ISO 14001 Environmental Protection certification in recognition of the policies MSC adheres to regulating the environmental impact of its activities. Meanwhile, last year MSC Cruises adopted measures to reduce sulphurous anhydride (SOX) and nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions, utilising diesel fuel with a sulphur content not exceeding 2.5% during transit and stop off in the Venice Lagoon. This led to the signing of the Venice Blue Flag, a partnership between MSC Cruises and the institutions of Venice aimed at preserving the artistic beauty of Italy's canal city. In addition, MSC Cruises' commitment to corporate responsibility and environmental protection is reflected in vessels such as MSC Orchestra (pictured), which has been awarded CLEAN-SEA2 and CLEAN AIR certificates for treated emissions that achieve near-zero environmental impact. Similarly, the MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida have been built with Comfort Class, a strict standard to ensure environmental friendliness and optimum comfort for passengers. The most modern ecological technology includes AWT-Advanced Water Treatment, a water treatment system able to convert black and grey water for technical use; Energy saving, a system to limit the use of electricity in the cabins; Cabin Monitoring System, a new technology allows monitoring continuously each cabin's temperature and maintaining it steady without unnecessary use of energy. A new "smoking policy" has also been implemented. Following a lengthy analysis of the passengers' opinions, there are now designated smoking areas on board all the ships. These are located both inside and outside. Smoking is permitted in the cigar rooms; the casinos; one dedicated lounge and in one section of the sun/pool deck area. __________________________________________________________ MSC Cruises currently has a fleet of eight ships: MSC Orchestra, MSC Musica, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera, MSC Armonia, MSC Lirica, MSC Melody and MSC Rhapsody, cruising in the Mediterranean all year round, Northern Europe, Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean and South America. The fleet will increase to twelve ships by 2010. In the spring of 2008 MSC Poesia, the third ship in the "Musica" class will join the fleet, followed in the autumn of 2008 and spring 2009 by MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida. These will be two of the largest ships built by a European ship owner. Then in 2010 MSC Magnifica, the fourth ship in the Musica class will enter service. MSC Cruises is a partner of the city of Venice and a member of the Club - 'Friends of Venice' as well as one of the supporters for the project 'Venice Blue Flag,' which sets the standards for the carbon emissions. (Impact Asia Ltd) Back to Front Page