Msc

[John Arton]

Not the Manchester ship canal but Mediterranean shipping company, now one of the largest shipping company in the world with its fleet of container and passenger vessels.
How they started I don't know but when they first started everyone called them Mafia shipping company. They started off by buying up lots of of old second hand container vessels. They would put them into drydock in Antwerp for a complete overhaul with them spending up to a month in dock. They then went into ordering new build container vessels and also cruise liners. As an aside I was told it the vessel had a girls name then it was an owner vessel whereas a country name meant it was chartered in.
Despite there size they seem to regularly appear in casualty bulletins, the latest incident posted on the internet showing two of their own passenger vessels coming into contact with each other, so maybe they should think of renaming themselves Many Shipping Casualty Company (would only require painting an extra C to each vessels name).
Rgds
J.A.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-...h-14035530.amp

[happy daze john in oz]

Looking at that video makes me wonder just who was in charge?

Normally when leaving port the thrusters are used to make sure the ship is well clear of the jetty and any other ships.
Where was the pilot in this, asleep at the wheel maybe, or was there a failure of the thrusters.

We await the next instalment of this mishap.

[corrientes]

Hi John, I piloted many of those older MSC second hand container ships. I suppose you could say that is when the modern MSC started but in fact the founder and "single" owner, Gianluigi Aponte comes from a very old Italian shipping dynasty which has been in operation in some way for over 300 years., He, together with some hand picked top men still run the company which now controls a total of over 700 vessels. Their container fleet is currently second after Maersk. It is 100% owned by Aponte and nobody else. The cruise fleet numbers about 15/16 but growing with some new tonnage built for specific markets like the MSC Seaside on which I was delighted to be a passenger last year. A documentary illustrating the "behind the scenes" daily life on board was shown last week here on Ch.5. The top officers on the bridge side of things are all Italian and unlike some not to be mentioned Italian masters of recent years, are highly trained and responsible. I recall coming across the current Seaside Master when he was a cadet on those old second ships back in the early '90s. All companies have mishaps from time to time as recent footage of Maersk and Hapag Lloyd illustrate to name but two. Despite the (probably correctly applied nickname) Mafia Shipping, they are today a very fine organisation.

[Phil Hughes]

Hi, I recall from my days at sea that the common quote when seeing an MSC ship was "Must Stay Clear".
Phil Hughes.

[kenneth goode]

I am sure when after the first ship went to New York on her maiden voyage all the owners where there in there big limos
and the Mafia shipping company was launched

[Des Taff Jenkins]

A bit of a lament John, why hasn't some Brit Billionaire's done the same thing, instead of sitting on it.
Cheers Des

[happy daze john in oz]

Hi, I recall from my days at sea that the common quote when seeing an MSC ship was "Must Stay Clear".
Phil Hughes.

Phil, Broadstairs there was a pub on the front many years ago, Bleak House maybe.
Good friend of ours Les owned it for many years but that was way back in the 70's, no doubt long gone now.