Beyond cargo: The family culture behind MSC

MSC’s ships carry more than cargo. Some also carry the names of employees and their loved ones, reflecting a tradition that founder Gianluigi Aponte began when he established the company in 1970.

That tradition remains central to the company as MSC marks 30 years since opening its Asia Regional Office in Singapore. The office presents the practice as part of a family-oriented culture, where personal relationships and long careers sit alongside the company’s global shipping operations.

Managing Director Grace Chia’s daughter is the namesake of MSC Jewel, built in 2019. 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, also built in 2019. MSC Claire, built in 2026, carries the name of IT Director Duncan Ng’s daughter. All four directors have worked at MSC for between 26 and 30 years.

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The naming of vessels after employees and their family members reflects MSC’s belief that success is built on people and relationships. It demonstrates that individuals are not viewed simply as employees, but as part of the wider MSC family.

Their stories appear in The Names that Move the World, an MSC campaign focused on the people behind its operations. Chia joined the company in 1999 after university as a documentation executive and later moved through trade management, sales, marketing and regional business support. She became managing director in 2025, the same year MSC launched MSC Grace, named after her.

“Each new role represented an opportunity to grow, travel and work across Asia,” Chia said. She credited mentors whose support and trust pushed her to learn new skills and broaden her perspective. In her current role, she mentors female middle managers through MSC’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, extending the support that shaped her own career.

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Each new role represented an opportunity to grow, travel and work across Asia.