MSC GROUP
Our history, Our people, Our family
Together, we are MSC
A private, family-owned company
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the MSC Group is a world leader in transportation. Founded in 1970 by Captain Gianluigi Aponte, the Group has continuously evolved, encompassing cargo, passenger services and beyond.
Today, MSC Group's nautical heritage and passion for the sea are reflected across its companies, extending beyond maritime into road, rail, air and port infrastructure. What began as a single business has grown into a diverse portfolio, delivering innovative solutions across industries.
The Group established the MSC Foundation to coordinate humanitarian efforts and develop philanthropic initiatives and, in line with its commitment to meaningful impact, innovation, and diversification, expanded into international health care.
The MSC Group is a private, family-owned company with values that place people at the heart of the business. The Group prides itself on cultivating a culture that honours family, excellence, passion, care and equal opportunity.
A private, family-owned company
Cargo and Passenger Divisions
The Group includes a Cargo Division featuring MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), MEDLOG, MSC Air Cargo, Africa Global Logistics (AGL), Log-In, WEC Lines, MedTug, Gram Car Carriers, and CLASQUIN.
Additionally, the Passenger Division is led by MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys, complemented by Mediterranean passenger ferries operated by Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) and SNAV. Italo, Italy’s first private high-speed rail operator, joined the Group in April 2024.
Alongside the success of the container shipping and cruise businesses, the Aponte family sought to diversify the MSC Group by welcoming Mediclinic, a leading private healthcare provider in 2023.
The MSC Group’s values are reflected in substantial long-term partnerships that actively engage in achieving meaningful change. The MSC Foundation, established as a private non-profit entity in 2018, leads, focuses, and advances these commitments.
Today, the MSC Group employs over 200,000 people worldwide.
Cargo and Passenger Divisions
History
The Aponte family records date back to the 17th century and testify to its long and unbroken activity in an area with ancient seafaring traditions - the Sorrento Peninsula. The first mention of them is from 1675 and concerns the felucca Giovannina, which for many years plied the routes between Naples and Castellamare, Calabria and Sicily.
Gianluigi Aponte founded the MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company with the purchase of a single ship. Since then, MSC has grown to become a world leader in global container shipping operating over 1000 vessels.
Gianluigi Aponte had the courage and foresight to purchase his first ship, Patricia, in 1970. He acquired an even bigger vessel in 1971, which he named after his wife, Rafaela, followed by the carrier, Ilse, in 1973. These three cargo ships represented the pioneering beginnings of MSC, which has since grown to become a world leader in global container shipping.
History
MSC Foundation
Values in action for a better world
As a family-owned company with a global seafaring heritage that dates back to 1675, we care passionately about the seas and have a real love of the beautiful places and inspiring cultures we take our guests to explore all over the world. This has led us to launch many life-changing initiatives over the years.
The MSC Foundation was founded in 2018 to lead and coordinate these conservation and humanitarian commitments worldwide, developing the longstanding philanthropic partnerships of all the MSC Group companies and launching many new initiatives.
Our Foundation works to restore the critical balance between people and nature, utilising our global reach and unique knowledge of the sea to take immediate action to protect and nurture the blue planet and all its peoples.
To achieve this goal, the MSC Foundation works on four focus areas: environmental conservation, particularly of the marine environment, emergency relief, support for the most vulnerable communities and education.
They do this both independently and together with trusted partners that have a strong innovative vision or track record for effective action. Our Foundation’s key partner are UNICEF, Marevivo, Mercy Ships, Mission Blue and IUCN.
Explore the MSC Foundation website
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