Celebrating Collaborative Success: Explora Journeys and Fincantieri Mark Triple Milestone in Genoa

At Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa, Explora Journeys celebrated a significant milestone on July 14, 2025, with three major shipbuilding events occurring in a single ceremony. These events included the float-out of Explora III, the keel-laying of Explora IV, and the steel-cutting for Explora V. This progress marks an important step in the construction of a six-unit fleet set for completion by 2028, following a substantial investment of EUR 3.5 billion by MSC Group.

Currently, Explora I and Explora II are in operation and nearing full capacity, while Explora III will be the brand’s first LNG-powered vessel, aimed for launch in 2026. Explora IV and V are intended for delivery in 2027, with Explora VI following in 2028. Notably, the future vessels are designed to accommodate advanced fuel technologies that can convert LNG into hydrogen, emphasizing Explora’s commitment to clean energy.

Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys, remarked that the intertwined ceremonies represent the brand’s mission to redefine ocean travel’s elegance, acknowledging the cooperative efforts of the MSC Group, Fincantieri, and the Aponte-Vago family’s leadership.

The ceremony for Explora IV included a traditional blessing performed by Caroline Cooney-Hurrell, recognized as the vessel’s godmother due to her pivotal role in enhancing guest experiences.

These new ships will be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, including shore power connections and energy-efficient engines, reinforcing Italy’s shipbuilding capabilities while aligning with stringent environmental standards. The LNG propulsion system for these vessels establishes a foundation that can evolve to utilize bio-LNG, synthetic LNG, and hydrogen fuel cells.

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