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Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is a global shipping and logistics firm headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1970, it has grown into one of the world's largest container shipping companies, with a business network covering more than 150 countries and regions, offering services ranging from core container transport to end-to-end logistics solutions.
Key moments
1970Founded by Gianluigi Aponte with its first vessel Patricia
1978Establishes official headquarters in Geneva
1996Enters the Chinese market and launches the Europe-Asia SILK route
2015Forms the 2M shipping alliance with Maersk Group
2022Suspends Russia-bound freight services excluding food and medical supplies
2025Ranks as the world's largest container shipping firm by fleet size
Competitive Analysis of MSC
As a leading global container shipping carrier, MSC competes with a small group of top-tier industry peers:
Maersk: The long-dominant industry leader, with which MSC formed the 2M alliance to share vessel routes and optimize operational efficiency, while remaining competitive in major global trade lanes.
COSCO Shipping: A state-backed Chinese shipping conglomerate with a strong foothold in Asia-Pacific and growing global coverage, particularly focused on China's international trade routes.
CMA CGM: A French-based shipping firm that emphasizes sustainable shipping practices and premium logistics services.
MSC's key competitive strengths include its industry-leading fleet scale, extensive global port coverage, and diversified business portfolio that extends beyond basic container shipping to include integrated logistics services. The company has also prioritized investments in low-carbon shipping technologies to meet global decarbonization targets.
MSC competes with Maersk, COSCO Shipping and CMA CGM as one of the top three global container shipping firms
The 2M alliance with Maersk balances collaboration and competition in the global shipping market
MSC has the world's largest active container fleet as of 2025, with numerous newbuild vessels on order
Extensive logistics service offerings beyond core shipping help differentiate the company from peers
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has established powerful brand strength within the global container shipping and logistics sector over more than five decades of continuous operation. As one of the two largest container shipping firms in the world by fleet capacity, its brand is widely recognized for delivering reliable global trade connectivity, earning strong trust among cargo owners, logistics partners, and cross-industry stakeholders. The company’s strategic growth trajectory, paired with its influential 2M alliance with long-time industry leader Maersk, has positioned it as a core shaper of global shipping trends, from capacity planning to sustainability standards.
MSC has expanded its brand equity beyond core container transport to build a reputation as a comprehensive end-to-end logistics provider, diversifying its offerings to meet evolving customer demand for integrated supply chain solutions. This strategic diversification has strengthened its brand resilience against the inherent cyclicality of the global shipping industry, helping it navigate periods of freight rate volatility and supply chain disruption more effectively than many less diversified peers.
In recent years, MSC has also boosted its modern brand perception by prioritizing investment in low-carbon shipping technologies and aligning its operations with global decarbonization targets, addressing growing regulatory and customer pressure for more sustainable maritime transport. This forward-thinking positioning has enhanced its long-term brand potential amid ongoing industry transformation.
Brand leadership
Score: 92/100
MSC holds a top-two position in the global container shipping industry by total fleet capacity, giving it significant influence over industry standards, capacity allocation, and global trade route development. Its long-standing 2M strategic alliance with Maersk further amplifies its market leadership, allowing it to optimize operational costs while maintaining strong competitive positioning across all major intercontinental and regional trade lanes.
Customer interaction
Score: 80/100
MSC serves a broad B2B customer base ranging from small independent cargo owners to large multinational corporations, and has invested heavily in digital tools to improve customer booking, shipment tracking, and supply chain visibility. While it maintains limited direct consumer-facing brand interaction, its ongoing investments in customer experience platforms have steadily improved engagement and responsiveness for its core business clients.
Growth momentum
Score: 88/100
MSC has recorded consistent strong growth in market share and fleet capacity over the past two decades, overtaking multiple long-established competitors to claim its current position as one of the world's largest container shipping carriers. It continues to invest aggressively in fleet modernization, network expansion, and integrated logistics infrastructure, sustaining positive growth momentum even amid cyclical downturns in global shipping demand.
Brand stability
Score: 85/100
As a privately held company controlled by the founding Aponte family, MSC has maintained consistent strategic direction and strong financial stability through multiple industry cycles, avoiding the short-term market pressure and volatility that impacts some publicly traded shipping competitors. Its decades-long relationships with port authorities, logistics partners, and core customers have further reinforced the stability of its brand and market position.
Brand age
Score: 75/100
Founded in 1970, MSC has over 55 years of continuous operating history in the global shipping industry, allowing it to build deep institutional knowledge, long-term trusted partnerships, and widespread accumulated brand recognition. While it is younger than some century-old industry peers, its multi-decade track record of reliable service is a significant contributor to its overall brand credibility.
Industry profile
Score: 90/100
MSC is one of the most high-profile and widely recognized brands in the global container shipping and logistics sector, regularly cited as a key industry benchmark in trade reports and global supply chain discussions. Its rapid growth and leading market position have made it a central player in conversations about key industry issues, from freight rate dynamics to global shipping decarbonization efforts.
Globalization
Score: 95/100
MSC operates a business network covering more than 150 countries and regions across the world, with services spanning all major international trade lanes and emerging market ports. Its unparalleled geographic footprint gives it a truly global brand presence with localized operational access across every major regional market, a key competitive advantage that few of its peers can match.
AI can support preliminary reasoning and analysis of a brand's value, but all resulting value figures are purely illustrative. For formally audited brand value assessments and official reports, please contact World Brand Lab directly.
industry
Shipping, air cargo, rail transport
services
Container shipping and logistics
revenue
€86.4 billion (2022)‡R2R‡
net income
€36.2 billion (2022)‡R2R‡
founder
Gianluigi Aponte
num employees
200,000+ (2025)‡R3R‡
Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A., branded as MSC, is an international shipping line part of MSC Group.It was founded by Italian entrepreneur Gianluigi Aponte and his wife Rafaela Aponte-Diamant in Italy in 1970.The company is owned by the Aponte-Diamant family with its headquarters in the suburb of Champel, Geneva, Switzerland, since 1978.[4][5] It is the world's largest container shipping company by both fleet size and cargo capacity,[6] controlling 21.2% of global container capacity as of November 2025.[7]
As of September 2025, MSC operates about 900 cargo vessels with an intake capacity of .[6] MSC subsidiaries operate rail freight transport in Portugal and Spain, cruise ships, and cargo aircraft.
The company is independent and wholly owned by the Aponte-Diamant family under the leadership of Diego Aponte. Diego was appointed president and CEO by his father and company founder Gianluigi in October 2014. In December 2020, Soren Toft became MSC chief executive officer.[8]
History
Mediterranean Shipping Company was founded in Naples in 1970 as a private company by seafaring captain Gianluigi Aponte and Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, when they bought their first ship, Patricia, followed by Rafaela, with which Aponte began a shipping line operating between the Mediterranean and Somalia. The line subsequently expanded through the purchase of second-hand cargo ships. By 1977, the company operated services to northern Europe, Africa and the Indian Ocean.
In 1978, the headquarters was established in Geneva, Switzerland.[9] The expansion continued through the 1980s; by the end of the decade, MSC operated ships to North America and Australia.[10]In 1988, MSC entered the cruise business by buying the liner Monterey.[11] In 1989, they purchased Lauro Lines.The new company was named StarLauro Cruises and had 2 ships, Monterey and Achille Lauro.[11]
Operations
MSC operates 524 offices in 155 countries with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and has over 200,000 employees.<[43] MSC's shipping line sails on more than 215 trade routes, calling at over 500 ports.<[43] As of August 2023, it operates vessels with a capacity of up to, including the world's largest container ships such as MSC Turkiye and MSC Michel Cappellini.<[44]<[45]
MSC Cruises
Since 1989, MSC has owned the holiday cruise division MSC Cruises.<[46]
Fleet
{| class="wikitable" !Ship class !Built !Capacity (TEU) !Ships in class !Notes
+Container ship classes of MSC
-
MSC Daniela-class
2008–2010
13,798
8
-
MSC Danit-class
2009–2012
13,050–14,036
23
9 ships under long-term charter from Claus-Peter Offen
In October 2014, Diego Aponte (son of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte) was named president and chief executive of MSC, taking over from his father who was named group executive chairman.
Gianluigi Aponte would continue to oversee all group related activities as well as supporting Diego in shaping the future of MSC.[12] In December 2014, the MSC shipping line were ranked number 6 in Lloyd's List of Top 100 Most Influential People in Shipping.[12]
In January 2015, MSC launched the world largest container ship, MSC Oscar, with a capacity of 19,224 TEU.Built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering and registered in Panama, it joined the Albatross service in January as part of the 2M VSA (Vessel Sharing Agreement between Maersk Line and MSC).[13][14] In June 2015 Maersk and MSC signed a vessel-sharing agreement on the Asia-Europe, trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic trades.The agreement is referred to as the 2M Alliance.[15] The 2M Alliance includes 185 vessels with an estimated capacity of 2.1 million TEU, deployed on 21 strings.[15][16]
In February 2017, MSC purchased a 49% stake into Messina Line, an Italian shipping Line founded in Genoa, Italy in 1929, specialised in intra Mediterranean short sea, and Europe to East and West Africa routes.The company owns 8 Roll-on/roll-off vessels and a Terminal in Genoa port, on top of a container fleet of 65,000 teu.[17]
In October 2018, MSC decided to charter out the only two car carriers in its fleet (MSC Immacolata and MSC Cristiana)[18] to Grimaldi Group,[19] replacing them on the service towards West Africa[20] with two Messina Line – ConRO vessels: MSC Cobalto (formerly Jolly Cobalto) and MSC Titanio (formerly Jolly Titanio).[21]The swap of these ships, that were previously deployed on MSC Adriatic Trade in between the ports of Trieste and İzmir,<[22] results in view of a tighter collaboration between MSC and Messina Line.<[23]
In July 2019, MSC launched the largest container ships in the world, the 23,756 TEU MSC Gülsün, built by Samsung Heavy Industries.<[24]
In December 2020, Søren Toft became MSC Chief Executive Officer.<[8] Søren Toft is the first person outside the Aponte family to become CEO. He would report directly to Diego Aponte, MSC Group President, and Gianluigi Aponte, founder and MSC Group Chairman. Søren Toft also became a member of the board of directors of Terminal Investment Ltd.<[25] In January 2021, MSC was awarded the "Maritime Sustainability Passport" (MSP) Certificate and Seal by the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA). NAMEPA's co-founder/executive director Carleen Lyden Walker stated that "By qualifying for NAMEPA's Maritime Sustainability Passport, MSC has demonstrated its commitment to stewardship of the environment, care for its employees, and responsible corporate governance".<[26]
In April 2021, MSC launched a special shipping service to help the distribution of pharmaceutical products during the COVID-19 pandemic.<[27] In August 2021, Gary Keville Transport Limited obtained temporary High Court order lifting an embargo preventing it from collecting and delivering containers from Dublin port.<[28] In December 2021, MSC was reported to offer at least 5.7 billion euros for Bolloré Africa Logistics, a subsidiary of the Bolloré Logistics.<[29] Later in December 2022, it was announced MSC had completed the acquisition of Bolloré Africa Logistics.<[30]
In December 2021, MSC acquired a 67% stake in the Brazilian domestic carrier Log-In Logistica.<[31]
On 6 January 2022, MSC became the largest container shipping company in the world, surpassing Maersk, in terms of TEU capacity, according to the latest Alphaliner's figures.<[32]
In 2022, MSC launched a cargo airline, MSC Air Cargo.<
In March 2023, the company broke the record of biggest container ship in the world two times in a row by receiving the 24,116 TEU MSC Tessa mega container ship on 10 March and the 24,345 TEU MSC Irina mega container ship on 13 March.<[33]
In October 2023, MSC acquired a 50% stake in Italian passenger rail group NTV.<[34]
In March 2024, it was announced the MSC subsidiary Shipping Agencies Services (SAS) had reached agreement to acquire a 42% stake in the Lyon headquartered air and sea transport engineering and overseas forwarding and logistics company, Clasquin Group.<[35] That same month MSC acquired the Il Secolo XIX newspaper group.<[36]
In June 2024, MSC take a 15% stake in Genoa airport.<[37]
In July 2024, MSC complete its $698 million acquisition of Norway’s Gram Car Carriers.<[38]
In September 2024, subsidiary company Medlog acquired UK based haulier, Maritime Transport.
In October 2024, MSC acquired 56.47% of the Brazilian port and maritime logistics operator Wilson Sons.<[39]
In November 2024, MSC acquired 49.9% of Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, the Hamburg port main terminal operator.<[40]
In early 2025, as part of a strategic alliance, MSC agreed to acquire a 49% stake in Spanish towage company Bolude Towage through the contribution of its subsidiary MedTug.<[41]
Also in 2025, MSC launched iReefer, a digital container monitoring platform, to provide customers with live data on temperature, humidity, and other conditions for refrigerated cargo. MSC stated that the platform was intended to support efficiency and "traceability" in the transport of perishable goods.<[42]
In 2015, MSC started train operations by taking over the cargo division of Comboios de Portugal, and operates container trains over the Iberian peninsula.<[48] Its rail operations have later expanded to Italy and beyond, under the name Medway.<[49]
In October 2023, MSC acquired a 50% stake in Italo.<[34]
MSC Air Cargo
In late 2022, MSC launched a virtualcargo airline under the MSC Air Cargo brand, ordering four Boeing 777Fcargo aircraft; revenue flights commenced in December 2022< and the second aircraft was delivered in July 2023.<[50]< Although MSC owns the aircraft and they are painted in MSC livery, they are operated under contract by Atlas Air.<[51]
In August 2023, MSC announced the purchase of a majority share of Italian cargo carrier AlisCargo Airlines, which began flights in 2021 and previously operated four Boeing 777 freighters.<[52]<[53]<[54] AlisCargo suspended operations and voluntarily withdrew its air operator's certificate (AOC) in 2022 due to declining air cargo rates, which made freighter operation increasingly uneconomical, along with the expiration of a temporary European Union Aviation Safety Agency rule allowing cargo carriage on the main decks of passenger aircraft.<[52] AlisCargo had a new 777F scheduled for delivery in 2024 and applied for a new AOC; once the new aircraft and the AOC were obtained, MSC said that AlisCargo would be merged into MSC Air Cargo, and MSC Air Cargo will operate flights independently from Atlas Air.<[52]<[54]
In May 2024, MSC Air Cargo announced that it had taken delivery of the fifth 777F and that independent operations would soon commence under the new Italian AOC.<[55]
TiL
Terminal Investment Ltd. (TiL), is the port operator 70% owned by the Mediterranean Shipping Co, 20% by Global Infrastructure Partners and 10% by GIC.<[56] It manages 45 port terminals on behalf of MSC.<[57]<[58]
9
Long-term charter from Niki Shipping
-
MSC Alicante-class
2011–2012
5,574
6
Long-term charter from Claus-Peter Offen
-
MSC Benedetta-class
2011–2012
13,100
8
-
MSC Olympic-class
2014–2015
19,224
6
MSC Oscar was the world’s largest container ship when it was delivered in December 2014. [59]
-
MSC Pegasus-class
2016–2017
19,224–19,462
14
-
MSC Josseline-class
2019
14,336
5
-
MSC Orion-class
2019
14,952
4
Long-term charter from Zodiac Maritime
-
MSC Gülsün-class
2019–2021
23,656–23,756
16
MSC Gülsün was the world’s largest container ship when it was delivered in July 2019. [60]
To be built by Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard. [73]<ref [74] The arrangement included a series of slot exchanges and slot purchases on east–west routes, also involved Maersk Line and MSC taking over a number of charters and operations of vessels chartered to HMM. The 2M Alliance included 185 vessels with an estimated capacity of 2.1 million TEU, deployed on 21 strings.<ref [75] The fore part sank over a period of five days. The stern was towed to Spain where it was scrapped. [76]
MSC Napoli
On 18 January 2007, the container ship MSC Napoli was abandoned in the English Channel due to European storm Kyrill after severe gale-force winds and huge waves caused serious damage to MSC Napoli's hull, including a crack in one side and a flooded engine room.[77] On 19 January 2007, the ship was taken under tow but because of the ship's deteriorating condition it was decided to beach the ship at Branscombe.[78] but was immediately re-beached as a crack measuring 3 meters (9.8 ft) was found in the vessel's hull, running down both sides and through the keel. The decision was made to break the ship up near Branscombe beach. [79]
MSC Chitra
On 7 August 2010, the container ship MSC Chitra was involved in a collision with the bulk carrier Khalijia II while leaving Jawaharlal Nehru Port east of Mumbai in Navi Mumbai's Raigad district, India.[80] On 17 April 2011, after the ship was declared a total loss, MSC Chitra was scuttled by Titan Maritime approximately 385 mi off the coast of Mumbai.[81] 345 containers went overboard into the North Sea near the Wadden islands off the Dutch coast. Of these, 297 containers were lost north of the Dutch island Ameland, the remaining containers some hours later north of the German island Borkum. [82][83][84]
MSC Palatium III
On 15 December 2023, during the Gaza war, MSC Palatium III was damaged in a missile attack by Houthi movement insurgents in Yemen as she transited the Red Sea.<ref [85]<ref [86] She turned around and exited the area.<ref [85] In a statement the next day, MSC said that the ship had been taken out of service, there were no injuries to the crew, and that the company would cease routing vessels through the Red Sea due to the danger of further Houthi attacks.<ref [86] MSC Palatium III had been sailing under the Liberian flag and was not Israeli-owned, so it was not clear why she was attacked, but a U.S. intelligence analyst told the Associated Press that the ship may have been deliberately targeted because MSC had cooperated with the Israeli government.<ref [85]
MSC Aries
On 13 April 2024 in the Gulf of Oman, off the Emirati port city of Fujairah,<ref [87] the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy boarded and seized container ship MSC Aries, claiming she was "violating maritime laws".[88][89] MSC Aries is leased by MSC from Gortal Shipping Inc., an affiliate of Zodiac Maritime (ZM).<ref <ref [90] The 25 crew aboard includes 17 Indian nationals, Filipinos, Pakistanis, a Russian and an Estonian.Iran has similarly attacked vessels and seized ships amidst persistent political issues since 2019.<ref [87] On 3 May 2024, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian announced that captain and crew had been released, while the vessel remained held by Iran.[91]
MSC Gina and MSC Diego
In May 2024, the two ships MSC Gina and MSC Diego were attacked by Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. There was little damage done. The former also had a similar incident in the previous month. [93]
MSC Baltic III
On 15 February 2025, MSC Baltic III ran aground close to the Lark Harbour shoreline along the west coast of Newfoundland after losing power in stormy weather.The 22 crew members were airlifted by Canadian Armed Forces members from 103 Search and Rescue Squadron.[94]
MSC Levante F
On 1 March 2025, while in port at Odessa, Ukraine, MSC Levante F was targeted by two Russian Iskander-M missiles.[95]
MSC Elsa 3
On 24 May 2025, Liberian-flagged container ship MSC Elsa 3 capsized off the Kerala coast in India.
US and European authorities concluded that the smugglers responsible, who control more than half of the cocaine flowing into Europe, had infiltrated MSC's crews over a decade of effort.
73.Other ships: 2M Alliance was a Maersk SeaLand and MSC vessel-sharing agreement (VSA) launched in 2015 to ensure competitive and cost-efficient operations on the Asia-Europe, trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic trades.<ref name=":3">Transport Intelligence. Maersk and MSC have mutually agreed to terminate the 2M alliance in 2025 Transport Intelligence, 2023-01-26, retrieved 2026-02-22^
75.The 2M arrangement had a minimum term of 10 years with a 2-year notice period of termination. On 25 January 2023, CEO Vincent Clerc of A. P. Moller – Maersk and CEO Soren Toft of MSC announced in a joint press statement that the two shipping lines would terminate the 2M Alliance in January 2025. On 24 November 1997, the container ship MSC Carla encountered heavy weather and broke apart northeast of Azores in the North Atlantic Ocean, when on route to Boston, United States, from Le Havre, France. The 34 crew members were air-lifted by helicopter to safety. MSC Carla Cedre, retrieved 24 May 2021^
76.In 1984, the previous owners of MSC Carla (her name was Nihon at that time) lengthened the ship by 15 m. This was accomplished by cutting the vessel in two and welding in a lengthening module. The structural failure was at the forward end of the new mid-body. The design and installation of the new structure by the shipyard was found to have been faulty. Ship Structure Committee: Case Study: Carla shipstructure.org, retrieved 24 May 2021^
80.Khalijia II had ripped into MSC Chitra's port side, creating three major dents in its hull and the engine room gradually flooded. After collision the MSC Chitra listed heavily and was grounded 8 km outside of the port. The captain and 32 crew members were evacuated. Collision of MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia-III the 7 August 2010 fortunes-de-mer.com, retrieved 23 April 2021^
81.On 1 January 2019, whilst on a voyage from Portugal to Bremerhaven carrying more than 8,000 containers, MSC Zoe encountered severe weather causing her to roll violently. Why did the MSC Zoe lose containers overboard? IMAREST.org^
82.On 24 June 2021, the container ship MSC Messina caught fire in the midway of the Indian Ocean halfway between Sri Lanka and Malacca Strait.Fire onboard MSC Messina 480 Nautical Miles from Great Basses Reef Sri Lanka News – Newsfirst, 25 June 2021, retrieved 25 June 2021^
84.On 16 October 2021, the container ship MSC Danit was boarded in the Port of Long Beach by the United States Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board marine casualty investigators.They were investigating an undersea pipeline that appeared to have been damaged by a ship's anchor and recently spilled oil onto the beaches of Orange County. MSC and ship owner, Dordellas Finance Corporation, and others were designated as parties of interest in the investigation. Ship owner, operator of interest in California oil spill Associated Press News, 17 October 2021, retrieved 19 October 2021^
91.On 24 April 2024, the Madeira-flagged cargo ship MSC Vera Cruz, while about 72 nmi southeast of Djibouti, was unsuccessfully fired upon, in tandem with U.S.-flagged container ship Maersk Yorktown, by Iranian-backed Houthi militants, who claimed responsibility.US Army says coalition vessel engaged anti-ship ballistic missile launched from Yemen Reuters, retrieved 25 April 2024^
92.MSC VERACRUZ vesseltracker.com, Vessel Tracker, retrieved 25 April 2024^
94.On 25 February the Canadian Coast Guard assessment of the hull has confirmed significant breaches and there was evidence that seawater is beginning to enter the ship.Stranded MSC boxship's hull is breached, coastguard warns Lloyd's List, 2025-02-25, retrieved 2025-03-01^
95.The missiles missed their target and struck the bulk carrier Super Sarkas that was loading 21,000 tonnes of corn and soya. The container ship sustained minor damage, such as broken portholes, mainly from the impact of the shock wave, and left the port safely. No damage to MSC container ship targeted by Russian attack www.seatrade-maritime.com, retrieved 2025-03-04^
96.The vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials such as calcium carbide, and over 450 metric tonnes of marine fuel.Express News Service. Kerala government declares MSC Elsa 3 shipwreck a state-specific disaster The New Indian Express, 2025-05-29, retrieved 2025-05-30^
97.A shipment of cocaine was captured in the 2019 Philadelphia Packer Marine Terminal cocaine seizure that totalled 20 tons, with a street value of US$1.3 billion.That ship, MSC Gayane, was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection due to the scale of the smuggling. The company denied that it intentionally facilitated this, and stated that the wrongdoing was carried out by a small number of employees who had been corrupted or coerced by drug cartels.<ref name="Bloomberg2"> Lauren Etter, Michael Riley. How a Cocaine-Smuggling Cartel Infiltrated the World's Biggest Shipping Company Bloomberg News, 16 December 2022, retrieved 31 December 2024^
