MSC Bellissima, the second of the Meraviglia generation of cruise ships, being built for MSC Cruises at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France, left the yard on Wednesday, December 19, for its first round of sea trials.

The shipbuilder said that the sea trials would last four days and that there were 450 technicians and engineers on board the ship, who will test its equipment and performance. The ship was floated out from the yard on June 14, 2018.

With a gross tonnage of 167,600 tons and a capacity for more than 5,700 passengers, MSC Bellissima will be the largest in MSC Cruises’ fleet, along with MSC Meraviglia.

Just like its sister ship, MSC Bellissima will be equipped with an exhaust gas cleaning system for cleaner emissions; a wastewater treatment system; smart heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) to recover heat from machinery spaces; and LED lighting and smart devices to significantly save energy, MSC said earlier.

The 315-meter ship is scheduled for delivery at the end of February 2019, according to the yard. MSC Cruises has scheduled the naming ceremony to take place on March 2, 2019, in Southampton, UK.

Once delivered, MSC Bellissima will spend its inaugural season in the Mediterranean, before moving to the Emirates for Winter 2019/2020.

World Maritime News Staff; Video Courtesy: MSC Fans