MSC showcases its increased presence in Hamburg with vibrant ‘Yellow Festival’
An ‘MSC Yellow Festival’ was held in Hamburg last weekend to celebrate the shipping group’s recent partnership with the Port of Hamburg. Named to reflect MSC’s signature colour, the festival was the largest-ever public event hosted by the company and culminated in the naming of the new MSC GERMANY LNG dual-fuel vessel and a spectacular live show.
Known as a ‘Gateway to the World’, Hamburg is Germany’s largest port and Europe’s third largest (after Rotterdam and Antwerp). As such, MSC has a long-established history with the city dating back to its earliest days, with founder Gianluigi Aponte purchasing his first ship in Hamburg over five decades ago.
A home port for many years, MSC recently acquired a stake in the port’s Hamburger Hafen und Logistik Aktiengesellschaft (HHLA) in partnership with the city. The partnership aims to modernise infrastructure, bring more freight to Hamburg and build a new German headquarters in the HafenCity.
A day-long, free event, the MSC Yellow Festival, took place right by the water on the port’s landing bridges, Landungsbrücken, and the Jan-Fedder-Promenade. Over 100,000 members of the public attended, enjoying creative acts, prize-winning challenges and hands-on exhibits. There was entertainment at every turn, including flyboarding, sway poles, walking acts, street musicians, the world record holder for slacklining, and a famous graffiti artist, who customized an MSC container during the day. There was also a culinary mile of food trucks and bars designed to bring flavours of the world to Hamburg.
Reflecting the importance of the new partnership, there were many notable attendees, including Dr Peter Tschentscher (Hamburg’s Mayor), Senator Melanie Leonhard (Hamburg Senator for Economy and Innovation), Senator Andreas Dressel (Finance Senator of the city state of Hamburg), MSC CEO Soren Toft and MSC Germany Managing Director Nils Kahn. Plus, the day was hosted by Radio Hamburg morning show anchorman Christian Stübinger ‘Stübi’.
The day also provided an opportunity for the MSC Foundation to announce plans to return to Hamburg, where it was first launched and one of its earliest partnerships began in 2019. A new collaboration with Gesellschaft für ökologische Planung e.V. (GÖP) will start, building on the work of this long-established association at the heart of Hamburg’s environmental stewardship and education efforts.
At the heart of the festival was the MSC Harbours Experience. This informative and interactive exhibition was designed for all ages, offering a behind-the-scenes look into shipping and providing an opportunity to learn more about MSC.
The Festival culminated in a naming ceremony for MSC GERMANY held next to the Elbphilharmonie. This epic grand finale saw the company’s newest LNG dual-fuel vessel, one of the world's most modern and sustainable container ships, officially launched by her godmother Dr. Melanie Leonhard, Hamburg's Senator for Economy and Innovation. The event finished with fireworks, a drone show, and a live concert featuring internationally renowned local singer Zoe Wees, held on a spectacular floating stage on the Elbe River.