MCTC has established a formidable reputation in maritime catering and training. Could you walk us through the company’s foundational journey, highlighting the pivotal milestones that shaped your global footprint and how your strategy has adapted to modern ship management needs?
MCTC was founded after recognising a gap in the maritime industry: while most departments on board had dedicated support ashore, catering teams often had no one who truly understood the realities of life in the galley.
The company was built on the belief that cooks need more than operational oversight—they need guidance, motivation, coaching, and someone who understands their day-to-day challenges. This people-first philosophy became the foundation of MCTC’s services, initially focusing on catering management, training, and distance coaching. As the business grew and client needs evolved, MCTC expanded into global supply chain solutions, creating a fully integrated approach that combines catering expertise, nutrition, crew wellbeing, training, and procurement support.
Despite this growth, the company’s purpose has remained unchanged:
Creating a Home at Sea, One Meal at a Time. Every service is designed to improve life at sea by supporting the people behind every meal, recognising that crew wellbeing and vessel performance go hand in hand.
Historically, galley management was viewed strictly as an operational line-item. How does MCTC approach catering management as a strategic driver of vessel performance, and how have your services evolved to create measurable value for modern shipowners?
MCTC views catering management as far more than an operational function. It is a strategic contributor to crew wellbeing, morale, and ultimately vessel performance.
The objective is not simply to provide meals, but to help create a sense of home on board. Good food, proper nutrition, and direct support for catering teams have a measurable impact on crew satisfaction, motivation, and productivity.
As the expectations of shipowners have evolved, so have MCTC’s services. What began as catering management and distance coaching has developed into a comprehensive solution that includes nutrition planning, advanced supply chain analytics, budget optimisation, sustainability reporting, carbon footprint analysis, and global price benchmarking.
This combination of human support and data-driven decision-making enables clients to improve both crew wellbeing and operational efficiency, demonstrating that investing in catering is an investment in vessel performance.
Crew retention and mental health are central themes at SMM this year. How exactly do MCTC’s health, nutrition, and onshore/offshore training programs support seafarer wellbeing, and why is investing in the galley crew crucial for the future resilience of the workforce?
The maritime industry is facing a fundamental workforce challenge. Recruiting and retaining qualified seafarers is becoming increasingly difficult as career opportunities ashore continue to expand and younger generations have different expectations from previous ones.
Creating an attractive living and working environment on board is therefore no longer optional—it has become a strategic priority.
Through continuous communication with catering teams and crews across the global fleet, MCTC has gained valuable insight into how seafarer expectations are evolving. Dietary preferences are changing, with more vegetarian and health-conscious crew members joining vessels. Environmental awareness is increasing, and younger generations place greater importance on wellbeing, choice, and quality of life at sea.
This understanding led to the development of MyBalance, MCTC’s wellbeing initiative, which combines nutrition consultancy with fitness consultancy to encourage healthier and more sustainable lifestyles at sea. Rather than viewing wellbeing as another training initiative, MCTC sees it as a long-term movement that supports healthier, happier, and more resilient crews.
Supporting the galley is therefore about much more than food—it is about creating an environment where people feel valued, respected, and motivated to return to sea. A healthy meal, a balanced lifestyle, and the feeling of being cared for all contribute to a better experience on board.
Ultimately, the future of shipping will not be won by the companies with the biggest fleets, but by the companies that create the best life at sea. Investing in crew wellbeing is no longer simply the right thing to do—it is becoming one of the industry’s greatest competitive advantages.
With maritime compliance becoming increasingly stringent, quality and safety are non-negotiable. How do internationally recognized frameworks, such as your ISO certifications and MLC 2006 compliance, anchor MCTC’s daily global operations and reassure your clients?
In the maritime industry, quality, safety, and compliance are the foundation of everything MCTC does. They are not simply requirements to meet—they are essential to protecting crews, supporting clients, and ensuring consistent service across a global fleet.
MCTC’s expertise is built on practical experience and active contribution to the industry. The company’s Founder and CEO was part of the International Labour Organization (ILO) expert group in Geneva that finalised the MLC 2006 Ships’ Cooks Training Guidelines, providing a deep understanding of the standards, competencies, and operational realities required to successfully manage catering on board.
This knowledge is embedded throughout MCTC’s services, from catering management and crew support to nutrition, wellbeing, training, and global supply chain solutions.
In parallel, MCTC operates under internationally recognised ISO management systems, providing clients with confidence that every process is governed by robust quality, food safety, information security, and continuous improvement standards.
However, compliance is only the starting point.
While international standards build trust, MCTC’s philosophy has always been to go beyond compliance by creating healthier, safer, and more supportive environments for crews at sea.
Because at the end of the day, meeting standards is expected. Creating better life at sea is what truly makes the difference.
You have fostered long-standing partnerships with many of the world’s leading blue-chip shipping companies. What do you believe is the defining factor that makes shipowners choose and stay with MCTC over conventional competitors?MCTC is privileged to work with many of the world’s leading blue-chip shipping companies, and that trust has been built over many years by consistently delivering value beyond traditional catering management.
From the very beginning, MCTC was founded with a people-first philosophy. The company’s initial focus was not on supply chain management, but on supporting catering teams through distance coaching, training, onboard visits, and practical guidance. As client relationships developed, the business naturally evolved, with clients asking MCTC to extend its expertise into procurement and global supply chain solutions now exceeding 1400 vessels.
This journey has shaped a unique service model that combines catering management, nutrition, crew wellbeing, training, advanced supply chain analytics, sustainability reporting, carbon footprint analysis, and operational insights into one integrated solution.
Many clients have shared that this broader perspective is what differentiates MCTC. Rather than viewing catering as a standalone operational function, MCTC connects it to crew wellbeing, retention, operational performance, and long-term value creation.
Every organisation in our industry brings its own strengths and expertise. MCTC’s difference lies in the fact that its wellbeing philosophy came first, with supply chain capabilities developing naturally to support that vision—not the other way around.
Our supply chain didn’t create our wellbeing philosophy; our wellbeing philosophy shaped our supply chain. That distinction reflects who we are as a company and why our services have evolved in the way they have.
Ultimately, clients are not only looking for a service provider. They are looking for a partner who understands that investing in the people behind the galley contributes directly to the success of the vessel.
From Middle East supply chain disruptions to rapid digital transformation, the maritime sector is navigating severe geopolitical and operational headwinds. How is MCTC helping clients stay resilient through these shifts, and what key trends will define your forward strategy?
The past few years have shown that resilience has become one of the most important qualities in the maritime industry. Since COVID-19, global supply chains, geopolitical events, inflation, and regional disruptions have demonstrated how quickly operating conditions can change.
MCTC has responded by remaining agile, continuously adapting its services, strengthening its global supplier network, and investing in technology and data to help clients make informed decisions in an increasingly unpredictable environment.
One of MCTC’s strengths is its entrepreneurial structure. As an independent company, decisions can be made quickly, allowing the business to respond rapidly to clients’ needs and changing market conditions without unnecessary complexity or delays.
Looking ahead, the industry will increasingly rely on companies that combine operational resilience with innovation, digital intelligence, sustainability, and a genuine commitment to crew wellbeing.
MCTC’s strategy is to continue evolving in all of these areas while remaining true to its original purpose: Creating a Home at Sea, One Meal at a Time.
