Explora Journeys, the ocean travel brand of MSC Group, marked three shipbuilding milestones at Fincantieri’s Genoa Sestri Ponente yard this July: the float-out of Explora III, the coin ceremony for Explora IV, and the steel cutting for Explora V.
These developments signal the continued progress of Explora’s planned six-ship fleet, expected to be completed by 2028. Explora I and Explora II are already in service and sailing at near full capacity. Explora III is scheduled to join in 2026, followed by Explora IV and Explora V in 2027, and Explora VI in 2028.
Caroline Cooney-Hurrell, customer journey strategist at Explora Journeys, served as godmother for the coin ceremony of Explora IV. She was recognised for her role in establishing the Explora Experience Centre. Franca Parisi, head of quality and performance improvement at Fincantieri, also took part in the ceremony as shipyard godmother.
The ships are being built as part of a 3.5 billion euro (US$3.8 billion) investment by MSC Group. All vessels are under construction at Fincantieri shipyards in Italy.
Explora Journeys aims to offer longer voyages focused on ocean connection and destination immersion. The brand’s itineraries include lesser-visited ports and off-season sailings.
All ships are equipped with shore power connections, underwater noise management systems and energy-saving technologies. From Explora III onwards, ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas, with Explora V and Explora VI designed for future hydrogen use through onboard fuel cell systems.
