MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company is this year’s winner of the “HANSA Maritime Excellence Award”.
The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has been honored with the “HANSA Maritime Excellence Award” at the 27th HANSA Forum at the International Maritime Museum Hamburg. Nils Kahn, Managing Director of MSC Germany, accepted the award on Thursday on behalf of the liner shipping company and its founder Gianluigi Aponte.
Peter Tamm, publisher of the shipping publisher HANSA, praised the shipping company’s achievements in his laudatory speech: “This award recognizes determination, courage, diligence and the willingness to take risks in order to shape and advance our maritime world in a sustainable way.” Tamm also emphasized the importance of MSC for Germany as a shipping location: “You are doing great things for Hamburg and our maritime location.”
With regard to the tradition of the prize, Tamm explained that the award comes with a small obligation: Kahn would be giving the laudatory speech for the next award winner next year. He also asked him to personally convey his warm greetings and best wishes to MSC founder Aponte.
“I am very pleased, many thanks to HANSA for this honor. I have the opportunity to present the award in person on Monday in Geneva,” explained Kahn.
Market leader with a global presence
MSC was founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. Equipped with a single ship, the company began operating between the Mediterranean and East Africa. Today, MSC controls around 20 % of the world’s container capacity. The headquarters have been located in Geneva since 1978; the company is still owned by the Aponte family.
The fleet now comprises around 1,000 ships, of which around 700 are MSC’s own units. The company also has over 100 newbuildings in its order book.
Kahn had already given a keynote speech on the future of the market leader’s ships, terminals and alliances on Thursday afternoon. During the award ceremony, Tamm described MSC as a “true global player in the industry” and emphasized the shipping company’s activities in Hamburg: “MSC has also become active here in Hamburg with its investment in HHLA – and we very much hope that this will give our port fresh impetus and new dynamism.”
The “HANSA Maritime Excellence Award” was presented for the third time this year. In 2024, the award went to Wilke Briese and Frank Dreyer.
