MSC Cruises Launches Initiative to Preserve and Protect Coral Reefs; Will Use Ocean Cay as a Research Center

(3 p.m. EST) -- MSC Cruises, together with the MSC Foundation, the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee and 54 NFL players and influencers, has launched an initiative to raise awareness about the need to preserve and protect coral reefs. The multi-pronged initiative will see the line use its new Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve as a center for applied research into "super coral," a hardy species of coral that has survived recent extreme ocean heat events and other factors. The initiative also encourages cruisers and others to make a #SuperCoralPlay pledge in order to help reduce human impact on the oceans of the world. One such action cruisers can take is to purchase a Super Coral Play bracelet onboard an MSC ship. The bracelet is made of abandoned fishing nets to support the research at Ocean Cay. For every bracelet purchased, a Super Coral will be propagated at Ocean Cay.{#widget:image|decorators:article_image|image:18734779|title:Ambassadors at the coral tank at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve (Photo: MSC Cruises)|description:Ambassadors gathered around a coral tank at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve#}"At MSC, we long have committed to continuously reduce and minimize the environmental footprint of our operations also as it relates to ocean warming and coral health," said Rick Sasso, MSC Cruises USA chairman and ambassador of the MSC Foundation in the Americas."We pledged to offset as of January 1, 2020 all C02 emissions of our global cruise fleet that we cannot currently eliminate, while we continue to invest in the accelerated development of advanced environmental technology that will eventually lead us to zero emissions operations. Additionally, we have removed close to 100 percent of all single-use plastic across from our fleet as of 2019."More details on the initiative can be found on MSC's special

Super Coral Play website

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