MSC Cruises sought a modern monitoring and control system for its latest cruise ship, the MSC Meraviglia. According to a company release, at 171,598 gross register tonnage (GRT) and with guest capacity of 5,714, MSC Meraviglia is both the biggest ship to ever be built by a European ship owner (MSC Cruises) and the biggest to come into service in 2017. The cruise ship, the 13th to join MSC Cruises’ fleet since the company’s inception in 2003, is 315 meters long, 43 meters wide and 65 meters high and can travel up to 22.7 knots. Among the ship’s attractions are a water park with multiple water slides, a Himalayan rope course, a Cirque du Soleil theatre, and the largest LED dome at sea.
MSC Cruises hold the comfort and safety of its passengers as a top priority, which includes the monitoring and management of its ship wide HVAC system.
With assistance from Engie Axima, the cruise company selected a system for the Meraviglia that would cover the heating, ventilation and air conditioning throughout passenger cabin, public space, galley, stairway, technical room, swimming pool, and wheelhouse areas. Combined, approximately 450 fans, 820 sensors and 1,000 actuators are now controlled and monitored via ICONICS GENESIS64 software. Approximately 6,000 physical input/output (I/O) points and 15,000 communications I/O points are connected through the system, including interfaces with over 100 SAIA Burgess PLCs. In addition, GENESIS64 also connects to Kepware OPC Server software aboard the vessel.