MSC Cruises Floats Out New Fantasia

MSC Cruises announced the technical float-out of the MSC Fantasia in St. Nazaire, France. MSC Fantasia will join the MSC Cruises fleet on Dec. 18, as the largest ship to date to be commissioned by a European ship owner. The float-out took an hour to complete.

In the days prior to the Feb. 8 float-out, a half-mile channel was dredged to create the depth needed. The ship has a draft of 26 feet, allowing for 21.6 feet of the hull to be submerged.

In addition, fenders were placed on the starboard side of the ship to not only protect the ship but to help keep the vessel on course as it exited the basin against the direction of the current.

The technical float-out of MSC Fantasia represents an important stage for MSC Cruises, whose fleet will increase to nine ships with the christening of MSC Poesia on April 5 in Dover, U.K.

The MSC Fantasia, the 10th ship in the MSC Cruises fleet, is scheduled to be christened in Naples, Italy, on Dec. 18.