Explora Journeys and Fincantieri Celebrate Triple Milestone in Genoa: A New Era in Luxury Travel

At Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa, Explora Journeys recently celebrated three key milestones in shipbuilding during a single ceremony held on July 14th. These included the float-out of Explora III, the keel-laying of Explora IV, and the steel-cutting for Explora V. This event demonstrates significant advancement towards the development of a six-vessel fleet expected to be completed by 2028.

The first two ships, Explora I and Explora II, are already operational and performing well. The upcoming Explora 3, launching in 2026, will be particularly notable as it will be the brand’s first ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and will accommodate 922 guests. Explora 4 and 5 are set to be delivered in 2027, while Explora 6 will follow in 2028.

Furthermore, Explora 4 and 5 are being designed with future fuel cell technologies that will convert LNG into hydrogen, aligning with the company’s commitment to clean energy initiatives. Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys, highlighted the collaborative effort that drove these integrated ceremonies and emphasized the brand’s ambition to redefine luxury ocean travel. The coin ceremony for Explora IV featured a traditional blessing conducted by Caroline Cooney-Hurrell, who has played a pivotal role in enhancing the guest experience, while Franca Parisi of Fincantieri directed the event.

This expansion is backed by an impressive EUR 3.5 billion investment from the MSC Group, which aims to strengthen Italian shipbuilding while remaining committed to environmental sustainability. The new vessels will incorporate state-of-the-art technologies, including shore power connectivity, systems to reduce underwater noise, and energy-efficient engines. Beyond relying on LNG propulsion, the design allows potential transitions to bio-LNG, synthetic LNG, and hydrogen fuel cells.

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