Shipping Tycoon Worth $33 Billion

Rafaela Aponte-Diamant stands atop Forbes’ 2024 list of billionaires as the wealthiest self-made woman.

As the co-founder of MSC in 1970, the shipping company has burgeoned into one of the globe’s largest.

With a net worth of $33 billion, she claims the seventh spot among the world’s richest women, as per Forbes.

Joining her in the league of prosperous self-made women are Cloudflare’s Michelle Zatlyn, Advanced Micro Devices’ Lisa Su, and musician Taylor Swift, all cited in Forbes’ 2024 billionaires list.

Yet, Aponte-Diamant’s wealth outshines them all.

At 79, the Swiss-Italian shipping tycoon holds sway with a fortune of $33 billion, placing her as the world’s seventh-richest woman and joint-48th wealthiest individual globally.

The genesis of their success traces back to their encounter aboard a Naples-to-Capri ferry in 1969, where Aponte served as captain. A year later, he amassed $280,000 to launch MSC, christening his second vessel “the Rafaela” in tribute to his wife.

MSC, boasting over 800 vessels, holds the mantle as the world’s largest container shipping enterprise by fleet size and overall capacity, as per Alphaliner data.

With headquarters relocated from Naples to Geneva in 1978, MSC also commands ownership of the third-largest cruise company globally, MSC Cruises. Aponte-Diamant personally curates the decor of these cruise liners, Forbes reports.

While the Apontes maintain a discreet profile, they occasionally grace public events, typically during the launch of new MSC cruise ships. Notable among these was their appearance alongside French actor Gérard Depardieu during the inauguration of the MSC Musica in 2006.

Their progeny play pivotal roles within MSC, with their son Diego serving as president and daughter Alexa as CFO.

_{Repurposed article originally published in AOL}