Beyond cargo: The family culture behind MSC

Some of the ships crossing the world’s oceans carry names with a story behind them. Across Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)’s global fleet, vessels have been named after employees and their loved ones – a tradition dating back to founder Gianluigi Aponte, who started the company in 1970. Today, MSC is led by the second generation of the Aponte family, and the tradition lives on. It reflects a family-oriented culture built around personal relationships and lasting ties. As MSC marks 30 years since establishing its Asia Regional Office in Singapore, that sense of connection can be seen among employees who have spent much of their working lives with the company, building their careers while helping it navigate a rapidly evolving industry. THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE VESSELS At MSC’s Asia Regional Office, managing director Grace Chia is among several people whose loved ones have had their names carried across the world’s oceans. MSC Jewel, built in 2019, is named after Ms Chia’s daughter. Logistics director Raj Mohamed’s daughter lent her name to MSC Rifaya in 2017, while operations director Kelvin Tan’s daughter is the godmother of MSC Faith, built in 2019. MSC Claire, built in 2026, is named after IT director Duncan Ng’s daughter. All four have been with MSC for between 26 and 30 years. Their stories feature in The Names that Move the World, an MSC campaign spotlighting the people behind its global operations. For Ms Chia, nearly three decades at MSC have also been a journey of growth within the organisation. Her interest in the maritime industry began during her school years, when she took up Laser sailing. She joined MSC in 1999, straight after university, as a documentation executive. Over the years, she moved through roles in trade management, sales, marketing and regional business support before becoming managing director in 2025. That same year, her own name joined those carried by MSC’s fleet with the launch of MSC Grace. “Each new role represented an opportunity to grow, travel and work across Asia,” she said. “With the support and trust of my mentors, each transition challenged me to learn new skills, broaden my perspective and step outside my comfort zone.” Now in senior leadership, Ms Chia is extending that support to others, particularly women. Through MSC’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, she mentors female middle managers as they navigate careers in global shipping. CAREERS BUILT ON EMPOWERMENT AND CONTINUOUS LEARNING Ms Chia’s experience highlights MSC’s wider emphasis on talent development. In line with its global HR strategy, the Asia Regional Office supports employees at different stages of their careers through programmes spanning early-career development, continuous learning and leadership training. Current and aspiring leaders can join MSC Managers Academy, which equips middle managers and senior employees with leadership and people management capabilities. Targeted pathways are also available for high-potential employees to strengthen technical and interpersonal skills and expand their networks. Experienced colleagues, meanwhile, share their knowledge through in-house training and learning sessions. MSC partners with Singapore Maritime Foundation and local universities at career fairs to connect with people entering the industry. Internships and graduate opportunities expose students and young professionals to the breadth of industry careers across commercial, IT and corporate functions. Once onboarded, employees can continue developing their skills and exploring new career paths through MSC Academy, e-learning platforms, industry certifications, cross-functional teamwork, internal knowledge-sharing sessions and global conferences. With technology reshaping the global economy, shipping professionals are increasingly expected to handle digital tasks such as electronic bills of lading and use artificial intelligence (AI) in their daily work. MSC is supporting this transition through AI awareness workshops and digital upskilling courses. Dedicated Microsoft Teams channels also provide practical guidance on AI productivity tools, prompt engineering and emerging best practices. CARING FOR EMPLOYEES AND THE ENVIRONMENT MSC’s people-first culture extends beyond career development. It also gives employees opportunities to support causes they care about, including environmental stewardship. In Singapore, the MSC Cares movement brings colleagues together through volunteer activities centred on employee well-being, community outreach and environmental conservation. In May 2026, the team raised funds for National Parks Board’s 100k Corals Initiative. Employees also visited Sisters’ Islands Marine Park to learn about coral restoration. Another local initiative is Green Enablers, an internal sustainability certification programme that equips employees to champion environmentally responsible practices. Certified Green Enablers engage with organisations such as recycling facilities and power plants to learn more about eco-friendly practices and explore how they can be applied in the workplace. These employee-led efforts complement MSC’s wider Sustainability Roadmap, which aims to decarbonise logistics and preserve marine biodiversity. MSC has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, with fleet renewal through newbuilds and retrofits forming part of that strategy. MSC Claire and MSC Grace are among the energy-efficient newbuilds supporting the decarbonisation journey. WHAT’S NEXT: THE FUTURE OF SHIPPING AND LOGISTICS Since establishing its Asia Regional Office in Singapore in 1996, MSC has grown alongside the nation’s emergence as a major maritime and logistics hub. The industry’s evolution has broadened what a maritime career can look like. Today’s workforce is more diverse, globally connected and digitally enabled, creating new possibilities for professionals from varied backgrounds. “Modern shipping and logistics offer dynamic job opportunities,” said Ms Chia. “People can pursue international careers in areas such as digital innovation, data analytics, customer experience and sustainability, alongside traditional roles at sea and in ports.” As shipping evolves, Ms Chia is clear about what will continue to drive the business forward. “While technology will continue to transform the industry, people will remain our greatest asset and competitive advantage.”