MSC Foundation Marine Conservation Center ceremony

On the 18th of November 2021, we celebrated the start of construction of the MSC Foundation Marine Conservation Center on Ocean Cay in The Bahamas.
The groundbreaking ceremony was conducted by Rick Sasso, Chairman of MSC Cruises (USA) and MSC Foundation Ambassador, with a Welcome Address by Pierfrancesco Vago, Chair of the MSC Foundation Executive Committee & Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises and Daniela Picco, Executive Director of the MSC Foundation, in the presence and with the participation of a delegation from The Bahamas. The delegation was led by the Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip Davis, and included government ministers with whom the Foundation and MSC Group have worked closely on the development of the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and Super Coral Programme.
The purpose-designed Marine Conservation Center we’re building will provide cutting-edge facilities for marine conservation research and coral reef restoration. The first phase, due for completion in Spring 2022, will focus on the research space, including a Marine Research Laboratory, coral tanks, outdoor Coral Nursery tanks and Pump Room.
Our Super Coral Programme will be based at the Center to restore the coral reefs around Ocean Cay sustainably, so that they are more resilient to the stresses of global heating, safeguarding the island’s biodiversity.