MSC Cruises announced that it has received a certificate of compliance from Japanese maritime classification society ClassNK regarding its health and safety protocol and will resume cruising in Japan in April 2021.
The company announced that this certification now paves the way for the line to open sales to locals in December for port-to-home cruises in Japan and begin working with ports in the country to prepare for the upcoming season.
Gianni Onorato, CEO of MSC Cruises, said: “We are very pleased to have received this certification and are now confident that we will be able to resume operations in Japan serving the local market by April 2021.”
Junichi Hirata, General Manager of ClassNK’s Innovation and Sustainability Division, said: “This is the first major step in MSC Cruises’ long-term plan to resume cruise operations in Japan in the first half of 2021, and we will now work closely with the line towards this goal.”
Hiroya Nakano, CEO of the Yokohama City Harbor and Harbor Bureau, agrees and said: “It is great news that MSC Cruises has received this certificate of approval from ClassNK for its health and safety guidelines. The Port of Yokohama intends to cooperate accordingly for the resumption of international cruises in the spring of 2021.”
The health and safety operating protocols of the Japanese Port Authority and MSC Cruises will also be in accordance with the guidelines set by JOPA, the Japan Ocean Passenger Ship Association.
MSC Bellissima, which launched in 2019, will sail to Japan’s home port of Yokohama for six to nine-night cruises in April, May and June 2021. It is also scheduled to operate in the country in October and November 2021.
Onorato added: “Being the first international cruise line in Japan to receive this key certificate of compliance is further evidence of our robust and strict health and safety protocol, which paved the way for the entire global industry when we became the first main line to resume in August. Mediterranean cruises.
“We have now transported over 30,000 clients safely and responsibly across the Mediterranean and can now look forward to offering the same for our guests living in Japan.
“Our industry-leading protocol, as well as unique data sets collected during the operation of our two vessels calling in Italy, Greece and Malta over the past few months, are currently being reviewed by authorities in other regions where other Company vessels are located. restart planned.
“We therefore believe that this certification – in a country where the industry was in the spotlight very early on in the pandemic – and the confirmation by the Italian authorities in the latest ministerial decree that cruises can continue will have a long shelf life. a way to demonstrate the trust we have been able to earn through effective protocol measures and their rigorous application for the benefit of guests, crew and the communities we serve.”
