Page 3 - Business Sense-11.4 - KZN Top Business Awards Supplement -EBOOK

DEDICATION IS HIS SECRET

INGREDIENT TO SUCCESS

aptain Salvatore provided they could offer weekly Reflecting on his achievements,
Sarno, Chairman of service between Europe and Captain Sarno says, that while the
CMediterranean Shipping South Africa. Captain Sarno, Shosholoza team did not win the
Company (MSC) in South Africa, aged 40, took on the challenge, American Cup, the team went on
was born in a small village in relocating to South Africa to win the most important awards
southern Italy. “Everybody calls with a two-year commitment of the competition.
me Captain Sarno because I was to establish MSC’s presence. In 2018, together with his son
a captain,” he says. Reflecting on Those two years transformed Rosario, Captain Sarno founded
his youth, Captain Sarno said that into a much longer tenure, as the Shosholoza Academy, where
as child, he dreamed of becoming he built MSC South Africa into thousands of young South
a ship’s captain, though the the country’s largest shipping Africans have been trained to
mountains surrounding his village organisation with the help of work on MSC’s passenger ships,
obscured the sea. During school Sandra, who managed sixteen contributing to employment and
holidays, he would climb to the container depots, and his son skill-building within the country.
top of the mountains. “I used to sit Rosario, who eventually became
there, looking at that little triangle the managing director, overseeing A Sign of Hope
of blue and dreaming of when I’d more than 2,000 employees.
be working at sea,” he recalled. Captain Sarno insisted on Captain Sarno’s contributions
maintaining a personal touch were acknowledged when he
In 1965, Captain Sarno began was awarded an Italian Republic
his journey in the Italian Navy. in client relations, avoiding call Knighthood by President Carlo
However, he found the rigid centres to ensure customers Azeglio Ciampi in 2005. Four years
structure stifling and left after two interacted with staff they trusted. later, in 2009, he was appointed MSC’s global sailing schedule covers 230 trade routes and calls at more
years to join the merchant navy, United In Purpose as an Official of the Knighthood than 500 ports.
where he worked on tankers as a Order by President Giorgio
cadet. “That’s the life I was looking In 1992, Captain Sarno co- Napolitano.
for,” he said. By the age of 26, he founded the Container Lines In 2024 Captain Sarno was
achieved his dream of becoming a Operator Forum (CLOF) with inducted into the South African
ship’s captain, one of the youngest the late Dave Rennie, forming a Shipping Hall of Fame for his
in the Italian merchant fleet. network of top shipping executives
who advised Transnet’s leaders influence and commitment to
A Significant Turn on optimising port and container advancing South African shipping.
terminal operations. Six years later, On receiving the recognition he
His career took a significant turn in 1998, he was appointed President said, “I consider South Africa as
when he met Gianluigi Aponte, of the South African Branch of the my own country. I have spent most
who, alongside his wife Rafaela, Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers. of my life in this country, always
had recently founded MSC. Aponte on the frontline to improve the
offered Captain Sarno a position Captain Sarno ’s success led him productivity of our port.”
aboard a 4,000-tonne vessel, one to unexpected meetings, including
of MSC’s first ships, and together an encounter with President Significantly, Captain Sarno
they set out to establish MSC’s Nelson Mandela. Inspired by received the KZN Top Business
inaugural shipping line around Mandela’s vision for South Africa, Leader of the Year Award 2025,
Africa. In those early days, they Captain Sarno collaborated with which is an honorary award given
operated with limited resources, the South African Navy in 1999 to to a businessperson who has
often carrying cargo other lines establish Izivunguvungu, the MSC demonstrated exemplary business
had refused. Captain Sarno recalls, Foundation, a youth initiative achievement, industry influence
“We succeeded because of our in Simon’s Town to support and is a true inspiration to others.
passion. That energy motivated the disadvantaged South Africans. The Future
crew, and we showed them what In the mid-2000s, another
was possible.” Captain Sarno looks towards
opportunity arose when South the future of South Africa’s ports
At the age of 30, Captain Africa prepared for its ten-year with optimism. He believes the
Sarno left the sea to join Aponte democracy anniversary. Captain nation has the right leaders to drive
in Brussels, assisting in the Sarno spearheaded a campaign change and restore the country’s
management of MSC’s growing to create a South African team infrastructure, pointing to recent Back: Rosario and Jeannie Sarno
fleet, which then comprised only for the America’s Cup, the progress as a sign of hope. Captain Front: Sandra and Captain Salvatore Sarno
five ships. Together, they dreamed world’s most prestigious sailing Sarno ’s involvement in discussions
of making MSC the world’s largest competition. With support from with government officials reflects
shipping company. Captain Sarno President Mandela and a diverse his commitment to helping South
moved with his family—his wife team of sailors, Captain Sarno ‘s Africa reach its potential.
Sandra and his two sons—into campaign gained international
a small office where each team attention. “The message was clear: Captain Sarno’s ambitions have
member took on multiple roles, after ten years of democracy, always been largely self-driven.
with spouses contributing as South Africa could compete on a “No one ever told me I’d be a
well. MSC’s reputation grew, and global stage, united in purpose.” captain,” he says. “It was just always
soon, the company relocated to inside me.” However, Captain
Geneva to enhance its professional Captain Sarno faced obstacles Sarno ’s love for cinema, sparked
image. Despite periods of financial as the leader of Shosholoza, the by watching films with his father
hardship and cycles of near- state-of-the-art yacht that was who worked as a projectionist, also
built in South Africa. Funding
bankruptcy, MSC persevered, was limited, but he persevered, shaped his perspective. “Movies
acquiring second-hand ships rallying support from friends, were my window to the world,”
and using them to maximum shipping industry contacts, and he says, noting how this early
advantage. “People called us the even Archbishop Desmond Tutu, exposure broadened his knowledge
second-hand ship owners,” he said, who became one of Shosholoza’s compared to his peers.
“but we knew how to make the biggest supporters. He also Today, Captain Sarno continues
most of them.”
become close friends with Thabo to serve as MSC’s Chairman,
A major milestone for MSC Mbeki and Andrew Mlangeni who advocating for South Africa’s deve-
came when BMW South Africa recognised in Shosholoza the true lopment and maintaining a vision MSC has successfully diversified into the business of container depots,
awarded them a contract, spirit of the new South Africa. for its future as a world leader.  mineral packing sites and warehouses including cold storage.

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