MSC Cruises have been recognised for their efforts to implement sustainable environmental programs while maintaining habitual operations by becoming the recipient of a special prize for recycling city councils, an initiative promoted every year by CIAL (Consorzio Nazionale per il Recupero e il Riciclo di Imballaggi in Alluminio).

The cruise’s council, along with thousands of inhabitants, glided the seas for holidays or work while keeping in mind their ecological footprint. The award this year had been given to three different Italian City Councils that differentiated themselves by recycling and promoting environmental issues through the collection of recycled material.

The fourth prize had gone to MSC Cruises, after a year’s worth of ‘collections’ on board the fleet. The agreement with CIAL had started in the spring of 2007 for a collection of the boxes storing large quantities of aluminium that had been collected between May to December 2007. The company collected 10,000 kg of aluminium, which was subsequently picked up in the port of Genoa.

Drink cans, other cans, aluminium foil, boxes  and aluminium packing – were all collected and given to CIAL who had recycled  the aluminium to be reused in new items such as household goods, furnishings, structures for the construction of houses and transportation, plus lots more.

For many years MSC Cruises has shown its concerns in protecting the environment, designing programs to lower their ecological trace and safeguard its surroundings. The newest addition to the fleet MSC Fantasia will be inaugurated in Naples on 18 December along with its sister ship, MSC Splendida in June 2009. Both luxury cruises have been labelled as paradigms of the ecological ship as they are both equipped with the most innovative technology systems while implementing energy saving systems and environmentally friendly programmes such as water treatments for black and grey water.

MSC Cruises was one of the first cruise companies to adhere to the VENICE BLUE FLAG agreement. The agreement governs the ships transiting the canal of Venice using diesel oils and reducing their sulphur emissions. The Company has received the most prestigious environmental certificates from recognised bodies – both national and international.