Chantiers de l’Atlantique lays the keel for MSC World Asia
Assembly of MSC Cruises’ third World-class mega-ship has begun in the Saint-Nazaire dry dock, marking the transition from steel fabrication to modular hull erection.
By Largest Ship in the World · 1 min read · Published · Event date:
Dry dock assembly begins in Saint-Nazaire
Shipbuilders at Chantiers de l’Atlantique placed the first massive steel block into the dry dock on 22 September 2026, formally laying the keel for MSC World Asia. The milestone marks the transition from individual panel cutting to the physical assembly of the 215,863-GT passenger giant.
Following shipyard tradition, commemorative coins were placed under the initial 775-tonne keel block during the ceremony as a blessing for the vessel and its crew. The hull represents the third in MSC Cruises’ World class series, following the delivery of MSC World Europa in 2022 and MSC World America in 2025.
Sources: [1] Chantiers de l’Atlantique: Milestone ceremony in Saint-Nazaire ↗ [2] MSC Cruises: World Asia construction milestone ↗
Dual-fuel LNG and solid-oxide fuel cell integration
Like its sister ships, MSC World Asia incorporates a plumb bow and an inverted Y-shaped open aft superstructure. The ship is powered by dual-fuel liquefied natural gas engines designed to run on LNG or bio-methane, alongside prototype solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) modules that generate auxiliary electrical power with significantly reduced carbon emissions.
The vessel will now remain in the Saint-Nazaire building dock while prefabricated steel mega-blocks are lowered into place by the yard 1,400-tonne gantry crane, with float-out anticipated in late 2027 ahead of commercial service in 2026.
Sources: [1] Chantiers de l’Atlantique: Milestone ceremony in Saint-Nazaire ↗
Sources & further reading
This brief summarizes the linked announcements. Future dates reflect the source’s plans at the time of announcement.