Explora Marks Double Shipbuilding Milestone as Six-Ship Fleet Takes Shape

Explora Journeys is one step closer to completing its six-ship luxury fleet, marking two major construction milestones during a ceremony at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard in Genoa, Italy.

The luxury ocean travel brand, part of MSC Group, celebrated the float out of EXPLORA V and the traditional coin ceremony for EXPLORA VI on Monday (Oct. 26), highlighting the pace of its fleet expansion.

The milestones follow the delivery of EXPLORA III in July 2026, with three additional vessels scheduled to enter service over the next two years.

EXPLORA IV is expected to debut in spring 2027, followed by EXPLORA V towards the end of the year. EXPLORA VI will complete the brand’s initial six-ship fleet when it enters service in summer 2028.

The double ceremony brought together maritime authorities, government representatives and industry leaders, including Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division; Anna Nash, president of Explora Journeys; and senior executives from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri.

A Full-Circle Moment

For Nash, the occasion carried special significance.

She served as godmother for EXPLORA VI alongside Camilla Ronco, PRS Workshop Manager at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard.

The pair placed commemorative coins inside the vessel, continuing a centuries-old maritime tradition intended to bring good fortune to a ship and those who sail aboard it.

Meanwhile, Consuelo Brunelli, Production Planner at Fincantieri, served as godmother for the ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the float out of EXPLORA V.

Each of Explora Journeys’ six vessels has been assigned a godmother in recognition of the individuals who have contributed to the fleet’s development.

“EXPLORA VI marks an important milestone in our journey and represents how far we have come in bringing a new category of ultra-elegant ocean travel to life. Having joined Explora Journeys at such a pivotal stage in its development, becoming godmother to the sixth ship in our fleet is an extraordinary honour and a deeply personal moment for me. I am immensely proud of what we have built together, and excited by what lies ahead as we continue to shape the future of ocean travel and create even more meaningful experiences for our guests. EXPLORA VI may mark the completion of our first six ships, but it is by no means the final chapter,” said Nash in a press release.

New Ships & Tech

Beyond expanding its fleet, Explora is also introducing new marine technologies as part of MSC Group’s long-term energy transition strategy.

EXPLORA III, delivered earlier this year, became the brand’s first ship powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Both EXPLORA V and EXPLORA VI will also operate on LNG and are being designed to accommodate renewable and next-generation fuels, including bio-LNG, synthetic LNG and biofuels.

EXPLORA VI will take that technology a step further with fuel cells designed to support more efficient onboard energy generation. EXPLORA V is also being built with the ability to incorporate fuel cell technology in the future.

All six vessels are equipped for shore power connectivity, allowing them to plug into local electricity grids while docked and shut down their engines, eliminating direct emissions from onboard power generation while connected.