MSC Divina officially delivered
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MSC Cruises’ received its newest ship, MSC Divina at the STX France shipyard in Saint-Nazaire on Saturday.
During the traditional flag ceremony, the shipyard’s pennant and the French flag were lowered, accompanied by the French national anthem, before Laurent Castaing, general manager of STX France, formally handed the ship over to MSC Cruises’ owner Gianluigi Aponte. Aponte then gave command of the ship to Captain Giuliano Bossi, and the flags of Italy and MSC Cruises were raised to the sound of the Italian national anthem.
The honour of cutting the ribbon fell to Ela Aponte, wife of MSC Vice-President Diego Aponte, who was also in attendance. After the traditional breaking of a bottle of champagne, three blasts from the ship’s siren signalled the end of the ceremony.
MSC’s new flagship MSC Divina will be officially christened in a glittering ceremony in Marseille and attended by a host of celebrities, among them MSC’s resident godmother Sophia Loren whom the ship is named after.
