A Conversation with the Sven Schröder, Managing director at MCTC
How your journey in maritime began?
I started as an apprentice at Hamburg Süd, which was later acquired by Maersk. After that, I worked at Smit Salvage in Rotterdam before heading to South America to join the Ultragas and Ultramar group in Chile. That part of my life was transformative. I visited many ports on the continent and quickly realized that what you learn in theory is nothing like the realities of operational life in places like Colombia, Peru, or Uruguay.
In 2009, I returned home to Hamburg to join our family’s towage and salvage company. I helped run it through to its sale in 2017 and stayed to manage the acquisition. Once that chapter ended, I wanted something more meaningful. That’s when I joined MCTC, where I’ve been for almost five years now.
What is “meaningful” work?
For me, it is improving life for seafarers. But in shipping, that’s easier said than done. There's a big gap between what’s promised and what’s delivered. For example, you often hear companies praise their seafarers and say how happy they are, yet when you ask about the food budget per crew member per day, it’s minimal. On the other hand, we’ve worked with shipowners who genuinely ask, “How can we make things better?” even when they’re already allocating more than double the typical budget. That contrast says a lot.
How does MCTC make difference?
We manage the full food chain. We train cooks to use fresh ingredients, plan diverse meals, and serve them hot and well-presented. We’re modernizing galleys while still respecting tight budgets. If a ship has a €10 daily food budget per crew member, we make sure nearly €10 lands on the plate, not €8 in food and €2 lost in inefficiencies. This isn’t about spending more, it’s about using what you have more effectively. Try to make €10 look like €12. And while doing so – transparency and communication are key. We show our clients where the food is sourced, how it’s used, and how we’re reducing waste. We see ourselves as “superintendents of the galley,” reporting to ship managers just like a technical superintendent would do for all hull & machinery matters.
Many cooks default to convenience food or reorder ingredients instead of checking what’s already onboard. But food is perishable. If it's not used properly, you lose money and create health risks. We help crews reduce spoilage, improve cleanliness, and meet rising hygiene expectations, especially important to younger seafarers today.
MCTC started as a training initiative for ship cooks. Our founder, Christian, is a professional chef. We bring our culinary experience into decision-making. Clients recognize that we care about people. We’re not here just to drop off pallets and send invoices, we’re partners in well-being of their crew. Fleet managers and crew managers get it quickly. Food is personal, it is critical.
Why focus on food?
Because food is one of the very few comforts you have onboard. It helps you get through the day. When it’s really good, it can lift spirits and make life at sea genuinely better. Today, with internet access on most ships, crews are browsing social media, seeing restaurant-quality meals online, and asking, “Why don’t we have this?” But many cooks onboard haven’t been trained for variety, they rely on 20–25 recipes they know by heart. When the same meals repeat weekly, it affects morale.
The new generation doesn’t just go to sea for the salary anymore. They have real career options at home. If they’re going to spend months away from family, they expect decent living conditions, and food is a big part of that. If the meals onboard don’t meet their expectations, they won’t come back. So, for shipowners, food quality is about retention as much as it is about morale.
Any transformational experience that guides your work?
Years ago, I had a chance to join a supply vessel heading to Antarctica, and I made the decision in five minutes. I quickly left my hotel in Punta Arenas to get on that ship. I shared a bunk in shifts with an Argentinian engineer and helped in the galley during rough seas. That trip made me truly appreciate how tough the cook’s job is and how vital food is to morale.
Even something small, like music in the galley, can make a huge difference. Since then, I always say: the galley is the vessel’s performance room. If it’s not functioning well, everything else suffers. It’s astonishing how overlooked it still is.
How do you use data & technology in your work?
Data is essential for both preparation and accountability. At MCTC, we gather a lot of data to improve our customer service. I use MagicPort to quickly pull data on where different fleets operate, who owns or manages them, what flags they sail under, and their movement history. That helps me prepare targeted offers in advance. When I walk into a meeting with a shipowner, I know their trade patterns and estimated feeding rates. Clients immediately notice that level of preparation.
