“The year 2023 was a real record year for the cruise industry in Campania in terms of number of movements and number of stopovers. The port of Naples is at its peak, having exceeded 1.6 million movements, and we, as MSC, have reached over 500 thousand guests. And our company will continue to grow over Naples in 2024. This is the first year in which, in addition to the usual presence on the Neapolitan port of call – since it is the only company present for 12 months – during the summer we have as many as three ships a week, a real record. Every Monday, MSC World Europa arrives, MSC Divina comes every Thursday and MSC Grandiosa on Saturdays. At no time have there been so many offerings coming from the port of Naples that emphasize the excellent results of this sector and the Neapolitan port of call in the Italian cruise industry.”
Leonardo Massa, vice president of Southern Europe cruise division Msc Group, rattles off these data with extreme satisfaction. He is a tireless manager, always travelling around Europe and the world to weave relationships, check itineraries, ports of call, ships and everything that revolves around the planet of the cruise industry. We ask him a few questions about the particularly delicate situation that is being experienced politically and economically, both in Europe and in the Mediterranean.
What are the impacts of the conflict in the Middle East and the Red Sea on the routes already planned? What changes?
“The war in the Middle East has resulted in a repositioning of ships. In particular, for the 2023/2024 winter season, we had one ship scheduled in the Red Sea calling at Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. We had to cancel it after the start of the conflict to place it in the Western Mediterranean. We had to cancel some cruises planned to Haifa. The effects of the war also have consequences in the summer period of 2024. We had planned a ship in Piraeus in Athens with a weekly stop in Haifa that was immediately moved to the Western Mediterranean. Also for the winter of 2024/2025, we will not ne present in the Red Sea area: in fact, the ship initially positioned for the Red Sea will be placed in the Canary Islands, where we will return, after many years, to offer 7-day cruises to the Canary Islands and to Funchal in Portugal.
What is the influence of MSC Cruises’ presence in Italy and Campania?
“In Italy, just over 12 million transited Italian ports in 2023, one-third of all passengers of all nationalities handled by MSC includes, in 2023, just over 4 million guests in Italian ports of call. The forecast for 2024 is further increasing in the Mediterranean, with Campania playing an even greater role 12 months a year with its own cruises in the territory. MSC Cruises’ push for seasonal adjustment is a real added value for the tourism industry and for the entire supply chain connected to it.”
Does MSC Cruises have plans to develop on the Campania coast as port facilities and logistics?
“The cruise group, which is headed by Aponte, is constantly looking for new opportunities in the territory and is ready to seize every chance, so as a group we are all-round interested. It is inevitable to recognize that MSC is the first integrated logistics group in the world, with particular reference to cargo. In addition, if we refer to the activity with Snav and GNV fast vehicles for the transportation of passengers by fast sea vessels, we are the European leader. In Campania, we are personally engaged not only with connections to the islands but also with connections in the most popular Italian destinations. Clearly, everything that happens in the coastal areas and ports directly or indirectly affects the cruise industry and certainly affects the MSC group.”
