Explora Journeys helps parent company ‘avoid 50,000 tonnes’ of carbon emissions in 2024

Explora Journeys’ parent company has released its annual sustainability report for 2024, reaffirming its commitment to achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, along with other environmental targets.

MSC Group Cruises Division report found Explora Journeys and MSC Cruises carried 4.6 million passengers on 341 itineraries in 90 countries last year.

In that time, both brands “avoided” 50,000 tonnes of carbon emissions through adopting optimisation tools such as OptiCruise and Oceanly Performance, which supported real-time operational efficiency and itinerary planning.

On top of this, both cruise lines will have an independently verified Energy Transition Plan with a roadmap to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Other environmental milestones featured were an increase in shore power connections from 44 in 2023 to 142 in 2024 across 13 ports and all new ships since 2017 being “shore-power ready” with continued retrofitting across the fleet.

MSC Cruises Group Division additionally formed a diversity and inclusion advisory committee to promote equality across its workforce of more than 140 nationalities, and included 284 “protectours”, or low impact excursions, in more than 4,500 options offered.

Looking ahead, the company said it “remains focused” on scaling clean energy solutions, retrofitting existing ships, encouraging port infrastructure investment and collaborating across the sector to “accelerate the global energy transition”.

MSC Group Cruise Division executive chairman Pierfrancesco Vago said: “As a family business, we do not operate ships just for tomorrow. We sail them for future generations, designed for fuel flexibility, guided by innovation, and powered by people who share our long-term vision.

“The Cruise Division in 2024 reaffirmed its commitment to advancing a bold and transparent sustainability strategy that balances environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and economic resilience.”

He added: “There is no single solution to decarbonisation. It is a puzzle we solve piece by piece - with new technology, operational excellence, strong partnerships, and a shared commitment to move forward.”