- MSC celebrated its Hamburg partnership with the largest public event in its history, the MSC Yellow Festival.
- The event featured the naming of MSC GERMANY, an LNG dual-fuel container ship.
- Interactive exhibits and live shows highlighted MSC’s commitment to the city and sustainability.
To commemorate its strengthened partnership with the Port of Hamburg, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) hosted a vibrant celebration on 14 June 2025 — the MSC Yellow Festival. Held along the iconic Landungsbrücken and Jan-Fedder-Promenade, the event brought together the local community, government officials, and MSC leadership to celebrate innovation, sustainability, and shared growth, according to MSC.
A Longstanding Connection Reinforced
Hamburg, Germany’s largest port and Europe’s third largest, has played a key role in MSC’s history, dating back over five decades. Recently, MSC acquired a stake in Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) in collaboration with the city, aiming to modernize infrastructure, increase freight traffic, and build a new MSC headquarters in HafenCity — cementing its role in the future of global trade through Hamburg.
Community Celebration at the Yellow Festival
Drawing a crowd of over 100,000 attendees, the MSC Yellow Festival was a free public event designed to immerse visitors in MSC’s world. Guests enjoyed:
- Live music and street performances
- Flyboarding and sway pole shows
- International street food
- A live graffiti demonstration on an MSC container
Notable attendees included Hamburg’s Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher, Senator Dr. Melanie Leonhard, and MSC CEO Soren Toft, among others. The event was hosted by Radio Hamburg’s popular anchor Christian “Stübi” Stübinger.
MSC Harbours: Education and Engagement
The festival featured the MSC Harbours Experience, an interactive exhibition within shipping containers that offered:
- VR simulations of cargo loading
- Challenges like propeller weight guessing and ship horn sounding
- A kids’ zone with drawing stations and a ball pool
- A job board listing career opportunities at MSC
These exhibits emphasized MSC’s sustainability efforts and the importance of the maritime sector.
The Naming of MSC GERMANY
The evening culminated in the official naming ceremony of MSC GERMANY, one of the world’s most advanced LNG dual-fuel container vessels. The ship was christened by Dr. Melanie Leonhard, Hamburg’s Senator for Economy and Innovation, in front of the Elbphilharmonie. The ceremony concluded with a drone show, fireworks, and a floating concert by pop star Zoe Wees on the Elbe River.
Renewed Focus on Sustainability
The MSC Foundation also announced its renewed partnership with Gesellschaft für ökologische Planung e.V. (GÖP) to expand environmental education and planning in Hamburg. In this city, the Foundation first launched its outreach in 2019.
Through the MSC Yellow Festival, vessel launch, and renewed social commitments, MSC showcased its vision for Hamburg as a hub for innovation, sustainability, and maritime excellence. This celebration marks the beginning of a deeper relationship between MSC and one of Europe’s most important port cities.
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Source: MSC
