MSC accelerates its launch in China

Genoa - For now, there are three clues and as points on a nautical map, they are perhaps enough to outline at least a piece of the route MSC Cruises is planning to take in the short term. And the bow appears to be headed for China. Different tourist-related sources say that all bookings for a holiday on the ship MSC “Lirica” is being diverted to other units of the company “because as of March 21st, 2016, the ship will be relocated to Shanghai.” A few words with not insignificant detail but for now, the company will not confirm nor deny and states from Geneva: “We have no comment.” And that is the second clue, while for the third we need to go back to the interview with the CEO of MSC, Gianni Onorato, who a month ago had explained to Il Secolo XIX / The MediTelegraph: “We are ready for China.” The puzzle in effect now takes shape: the Opera is one of the older vessels in the fleet of the company, built in 2003, and was the first one ordered by Aponte to the shipyards of Saint Nazaire. Later this month, on August 31st, the vessel will enter the basin at Palermo, which is to be extended, alongside three other ships in this class. In Sicily, a new section of 24 meters will be inserted and the Opera will exit the site on November 2nd, ready to head to Genoa on the 4th. After a refitting, it will then resume service with a relocating cruise to South America with about 200 more berths. The official programme indicates that the ship should be back in the Mediterranean after its season in Latin America, but in the last few hours it has been assumed that the “Lirica” has been chosen as the first vessel to launch in China or at least to accomplish a Grand Voyage in the East, as Orchestra did in March when it landed for the first time in Australia. MSC Cruises in fact has always preached caution, because the launching in China appeared to be a consequence of the expansion plan of the fleet and the company pointed to the future post 2017, when the new mega ships ordered from STX and Fincantieri will be ready. If the news about the relocation of the “Lirica” to Shanghai is confirmed, it would be an acceleration in the plans of the company, which has always been focused on the Mediterranean, but now with the crisis in North Africa and the massive investments of competitors looking towards Asia (Costa and Royal Caribbean), it might possibly be important in the race for the East. Carnival, for example, ordered a ship from Fincantieri specifically for the Chinese market. The new “Lirica”, once elongated and renovated, could be the right weapon for at least planting a flag in the market with the prospect of greater expansion. Recently, in addition to ships under its own brand, the big companies have started thinking about brands created specifically for the Chinese market together with local operators. Until now MSC had distanced itself from such investments, preferring to focus on the Miami and the American market, with the first new ship of the Seaside class in 2017. But perhaps there may be time for a quick counterattack and launch in China from Shanghai.