Press release
th
At Le Havre, July 20 , 2016
MSC chooses Le Havre to christen
its new containership, MSC SVEVA
This July 20th, 2016, HAROPA honours one of the largest containerships in the world (in number of
TEU). MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company - a container shipping leader worldwide - celebrates
the baptism of the MSC SVEVA during her call at the Port of Le Havre. The ceremony was attended
by Philippe Lestrade, CEO of MSC France, Hervé Cornède, HAROPA Commercial and Marketing
Director, Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, Jean-Baptiste Gastinne, Town Councillor and
Regional Vice President, Edouard Philippe, Mayor of Le Havre City and Deputy of the Seine –
Maritime area, and also Sveva, Gianni Onorato’s daughter, after whom the vessel is named.
This event once more confirms the unique strengths of HAROPA in being able to host the world's
largest shipping lines.
MSC SVEVA is the latest addition to the containership class named "Oscar Class". Released in October
2015 by Korean shipyards DAEWOO, it’s one of the largest containerships in the world. 395.4 meters
long by 59 meters broad, for a maximum draft of 16 meters, it offers a capacity of 19,224 TEU.
AN INNOVATIVE DESIGN
MSC is consciously designing its ships to be more efficient and environmentally friendly. The vessels
of the Oscar Class are specially equipped with a new generation engine with low fuel consumption
thus reducing CO² emissions.
COMPETITIVE TRANSIT TIMES ON ASIA-EUROPE LINE
Like the MSC OSCAR, MSC SVEVA is operated under the Asia-Europe service and offers very
competitive transit times (24 days between Yantian and Le Havre, 28 days to Shanghai).
The connections offered by MSC barges between Le Havre and Rouen also allow importers to have
very good transit times with facilitated customs procedures, adapted to river transport. These river
transport solutions are extended across the Seine axis and in particular the port of Gennevilliers,
which has a high concentration of import share from Asia.
MSC - HAROPA, A LONG TIME PARTNERSHIP
Since the beginning, MSC has chosen to make the port of Le Havre one of its major hub ports in
Western Europe opening an office on-site. A choice considerably reinforced in 2011 when the
Shipping Company invested in a new Terminal, with 1,400 meters of quay at Port 2000, partnering
with the stevedoring operator Terminaux de Normandie (Perrigault group) in SETO and TNMSC
companies. The goal was especially to accommodate the largest containerships in the world.
HAROPA plays a key role in the French market for MSC. MSC France – which has 560 employees in
France with 370 in Le Havre including 280 based in the MSC office – is among the first customers of
the port of Le Havre.
LE HAVRE AND MSC CRUISES
HAROPA - Port of Le Havre is a turnaround port for the cruises provided on the MSC Splendida
travelling North Europe this fall. This port also has a strong meaning for MSC Cruises, a subsidiary of
MSC Group.
MSC Cruises, the largest private cruise company in the world based in Switzerland and leader in
Europe, South America and South Africa, announced on February 1st, that its new flagship, MSC
Meraviglia, currently under construction on the site naval STX in Saint-Nazaire, will be christened in
the port of Le Havre, on June 3rd 2017, before being positioned in Marseille for its inaugural season
in the Mediterranean.
Next year, Le Havre will be the godmother city of this flagship for the greatest pride of Le Havre
inhabitants as they also celebrate the 500th birthday of their town. MSC Meraviglia will be the first
new generation vessel that is part of the investment plan of € 9 billion, which extends until 2026. As
this next flagship, 20 ships of the MSC Cruises fleet will have been built on STX shipyards in SaintNazaire. MSC Cruises will have brought in France an export turnover of around 7 billion Euro and 70
million hours of work, more than 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs for 12 years. This plan reinforces the
MSC Cruises position as the first private investor for export contracts in France.
About MSC
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. is a privately owned global shipping company founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. As one of
the world’s leading container shipping lines, MSC operates 480 offices across 150 countries worldwide with over 60,000 employees*. With
access to an integrated network of road, rail and sea transport resources which stretches across the globe, the company prides itself on
delivering global service with local knowledge. MSC’s shipping line sails on more than 200 trade routes, calling at over 315 ports.
For more information: msc.com
MSC Cruises, part of the MSC Group is the Swiss-based, world’s largest privately-owned cruise line and brand market leader in Europe,
South America and South Africa, sailing year-round in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. Seasonal itineraries cover northern Europe, the
Atlantic Ocean, Cuba and the French Antilles, South America, southern Africa, and Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Oman.
The MSC Cruise experience embodies the elegant side of the Mediterranean to create unique and unforgettable emotions for guests,
through discovery of the world’s cultures, beauties and tastes. Its fleet comprises 12 of the most modern ships at sea: MSC Preziosa; MSC
Divina; MSC Splendida; MSC Fantasia; MSC Magnifica; MSC Poesia; MSC Orchestra; MSC Musica; MSC Sinfonia; MSC Armonia; MSC Opera
and MSC Lirica.
In 2014, MSC Cruises launched an investment plan to support the second phase of its growth through the order of two ships of the
Meraviglia generation and two others of the Seaside generation (plus an option for a third) and in February 2016, confirmed the existing
options to build a further two now Meraviglia Plus ships with an even greater capacity. In April 2016 this rose to €9 billion with the
announcement of signing of the letter of intent to build a further four ships, each with next-generation LNG propulsion technology.
Consequently, between 2017 and 2026 a total of up to 11 new, next-generation MSC Cruises ships will come into service. MSC Cruises is the
first global cruise line brand to develop an investment plan of this length and magnitude, spanning an horizon of over ten years, from 2014
through 2026.
MSC Cruises feels a deep responsibility for the environments in which it operates, and was the first company ever to earn the Bureau Veritas
"7 Golden Pearls" for superior management and environmental stewardship. In 2009, MSC Cruises began an enduring partnership with
UNICEF to support various programmes assisting children worldwide. So far, more than €5m has been collected in voluntary guest
donations.
About HAROPA
HAROPA, the 5th largest port complex in Northern Europe, is a joint venture between the ports of Le Havre, Rouen and Paris. It is connected
to every continent owing to a first-rate international shipping offer (linking 600 ports worldwide). It serves a vast hinterland whose core is in
the Seine valley and the Paris region forming the biggest French consumer market area. With around 10 Normandy and Paris area partner
ports, the "one-stop" hub now forms in France a global transport and logistics system, capable of providing a comprehensive end-to-end
service. HAROPA handles over 120 million tons of cargo by sea and waterway each year. HAROPA business represents 160,000 jobs.
With HAROPA, clients can choose 180 ports in Asia with the best transit times of the north-European range both for their imports and
exports. The trade from Asia to HAROPA – Port of Le Havre accounts for 73% of the container flows and as regards exports from France to
Asia, the volumes have been on steady rise since 2010 (over 30% of growth for outward volumes from Le Havre and bound for China).
MSC AND HAROPA PORTS IN FIGURES: 17 lines (deep-sea, short-sea and feeders)are operated by MSC.
For more information: www.haropaports.com
PRESS CONTACTS
HAROPA
Bénédicte Maheut: + 33 (0)2 35 52 97 89 - [email protected]
Annie Vandôme: + 33 (0)2 32 74 71 37 - [email protected]
MSC MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING COMPANY
Deborah Watson +41 227039886, [email protected]
MSC CRUISES
Victoire Maurel 01 44 14 99 99 - [email protected]
Emmanuelle Marguerie 01 44 14 99 99 – [email protected]
Nicolas Boudot 01 44 14 99 99- [email protected]
Christelle Zucchelli 01 74 34 52 32 - [email protected]