Ramesh Shanmugam

MSC Cruises

The Cruise Division of MSC Group, the leading privately held Swiss-based shipping and logistics conglomerate with over 300 years of maritime heritage, is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and has two distinct brands within its structure - the contemporary and luxury brands. MSC Cruises, the contemporary brand, is the world's third largest cruise brand as well as leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa with more market share in addition to deployed capacity than any other player. It is also the fastest growing global cruise brand with a strong presence in the Caribbean, North America and the Far East. Its fleet comprises 21 modern vessels combined with a sizeable future global investment portfolio of new vessels and is projected to grow to 23 cruise ships by 2025. MSC Cruises offers its guests an enriching, immersive, and safe cruise experience inspired by the Company's European heritage. Meanwhile, the luxury brand, Explora Journeys, is set to start operating in 2023 with a fleet with the latest and most advanced environmental and maritime technologies available. These luxury ships will introduce to the luxury segment a broad range of new guest experiences and other activities as well as generous ratios of public spaces, in addition to showcasing highly innovative design. MSC's number one priority across all its operations has always been the health and safety of its guests and crew, as well as the communities at the destinations its ships serve. In August 2020, MSC Cruises implemented a new comprehensive and robust health and safety protocol to become the first major line to return to sea. MSC has long been committed to environmental stewardship with a long-term goal to achieve net-zero emissions for its operations by 2050. The Company is also a significant investor in next-generation environmental marine technologies, with the goal to support their accelerated development and implementation.