The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the biggest user of South African ports, which prides itself on providing a tailor made service for its customers, clinched the coveted Service Provider accolade at the 2016 Exporter of the Year Awards. Founded in 1970, MSC’s innovative, flexible and unique approach to shipping has allowed the company to grow significantly over the last 20 years. By 2003, it had become the
second largest container carrier in the world, operating more than 480 container vessels.

MSC’s dramatic growth over the past decade can be attributed to two things: the quality management system that aims to consistently improve upon service levels in the shipping community and MSC’s willingness to initiate change to meet the needs of clients and principals as well as meeting environmental issues.

The container management system has been upgraded, resulting in more emphasis being placed on better container use, which cuts costs, while sustaining continued growth. The company’s vision is customer satisfaction and apart from its on-time delivery policy, it also boasts a “one stop shop” concept, enabling MSC to manage and control the entire logistics to and from their vessels and to and from delivery to the door.

Its global coverage links South Africa with the world as well as directly with East and West Africa, Europe, the UK, the East and West Coast of the USA, Asia, the Middle East, India, the Far East, South America, Australia, the Indian Ocean Islands, Madagascar, Mozambique and the East Coast of South America. The
continued direct service into West Africa on MSC’s Asia/South Africa/West Africa pendulum service, which was implemented in 2012, has increased export opportunities into West and East Africa, which MSC points out is notable, bearing in mind the challenges operating in African ports.

Another success has been the diversification into the business of the company’s own container depots in Durban, Uitenhage, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, East London and Rosslyn, which has its own rail
siding, providing clients with access to the manufacturing plants, a particularly critical issue for the motoring industry.

The move was a strategic decision and was largely due to the facilities available at the time being unable to meet MSC’s requirements. The depots were created to benefit MSC customers as the company controls the full and empty depots, enabling clients to deal with one company and not third parties. And as they are customers of MSC, they have the added advantage of being able to use the depots at preferential tariffs.

The credibility of MSC’s service has ensured that it has continued to maintain a large base of loyal customers. With its dedicated employees and the continuous developments in infrastructure and technology, this base is growing by the day.

MSC is a “family” organisation, cultivating a culture of personal commitment and contribution from each of its employees. Its operating principles are based squarely on being fair and honest. Recent Awards

• FNB / KZN Top Business Portfolio Awards 2009 (Transport Category) as well as being nominated in the top three companies in 2010, 2011
• Lloyds Loading List / Freightliner Shipping Line of the Year (1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2011)
• PMR Golden Arrow Award â€" Best Shipping Company in KwaZulu-Natal (1999, 2010)
• PMR Diamond Award 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 â€" Outstanding 1st overall
• Best Shipping in KZN (1999, 2011)
• Shipping Company of the Year by Containerisation International 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
• Finalist in the KZN Top Business Awards 2013, 2014, 2015
• Winner KZN Top Business Awards 2016
• Winner of the prestigious KZN Exporter of the Year and Service Provider Category 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
• Top 500 South Africa’s Best Managed Companies â€" Ranked Top 5. 

www.msc.com