Humanitarian operations are based on an invisible but indispensable pillar: logistics. When lives depend on rapid response, the ability to deliver supplies, personnel, equipment and essential services to remote or devastated areas is critical to mission success.
In recent years, SCA Group, under the leadership of SCA – Shipping Consultants Associated LTD, has become a trusted partner for humanitarian and disaster relief operations worldwide, applying the same care, on-site presence and operational precision that characterizes its defense logistics activities.
With a long-standing operational tradition and a global presence with 17 branches, the organization has supported humanitarian missions throughout Asia, Central America and the Caribbean, including challenging environments such as Vietnam, Colombia and Haiti, through complex operations involving the USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort. These operations demonstrate a model of integrated domestic support logistics that combines military capabilities with humanitarian purposes.
A humanitarian logistics partner based on precision and experience
Humanitarian interventions often take place in unstable, remote or damaged locations, where infrastructure is limited and operational predictability is low. SCA Group’s integrated logistics model provides unified support for:
- Domestic life support services
- Transportation and supply chain coordination
- Food supply and catering
- Waste management and wastewater disposal
- Fuel coordination for ground and aviation assets
- Camp setup, maintenance and operational support
These capabilities ensure continuity and security in environments where rapid deployment and adaptability are essential.
As Jacopo Landi, one of the two directors of SCA Group, noted, “Humanitarian missions leave no room for error. Our priority is to ensure that field teams, medical personnel and support units have the infrastructure, supplies and operational continuity necessary to save lives, no matter how remote or complex the environment.”
This philosophy underpins the organization’s long-standing commitment to supporting international organizations, NGOs and defense units in relief efforts.
Supporting medical and humanitarian assistance in challenging environments
SCA Group has supported multiple humanitarian-focused operations, including critical port and inland services for the USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort, two of the world’s most significant medical support ships. These missions required coordination in areas affected by natural disasters, limited infrastructure, or logistical instability.
In such contexts, SCA Group’s expertise in domestic support logistics becomes crucial: securing fuel deliveries, ensuring staff food supplies, implementing waste management measures and coordinating ground transport in areas where roads, utilities or supply chains may be disrupted.
This operational capability has positioned the organization as a trusted partner for governments, NGOs and multilateral organizations engaged in health, disaster response and stabilization missions.
Domestic support logistics designed for humanitarian realities
Beyond mission operations, effective humanitarian assistance depends on sustained support: maintaining camps, ensuring stable food supplies, coordinating water and waste management, and ensuring timely transportation to and from operational areas.
SCA Group’s domestic support capabilities include:
- Setting up and maintaining the camp
- Catering and food service for large teams
- Electricity generation, water supply and wastewater disposal
- Transport and equipment handling
- Facility management and daily basic operations
These services reflect the organization’s experience in high-tempo military environments and are adapted to the specific needs of civilian and humanitarian teams.
According to Michael J. Harrison, a principal at Shipping Consultants Associated LTD, “Successful humanitarian logistics requires the same precision and rigor as military operations. By integrating domestic support, supply chain management and on-site monitoring, we enable our partners to fully focus on supporting affected populations while we take care of the operational backbone.”
Supporting multinational agencies and humanitarian organizations
SCA Group’s reputation in humanitarian logistics has been strengthened by decades of collaboration with defense forces and international organizations. While his primary activity is in naval and military logistics, his skills are naturally also transferable to humanitarian contexts where speed, compliance and operational security are critical.
The organization’s humanitarian experience includes:
- Medical relief operations
- Disaster relief operations
- Refugee and population support initiatives
- Logistics for field hospitals and temporary bases
- Long-term domestic support for international missions
These activities demonstrate the organization’s ability to provide structured, adaptive and compliant support to partners who are under extreme pressure.
A commitment that is reflected in CSR and ethical behavior
SCA Group’s humanitarian commitment is reinforced through its Corporate Social Responsibility program, developed in accordance with the ISO 26000 guidelines on social responsibility. The program includes support for:
- Educational initiatives
- Anti-human trafficking organizations (e.g. A21.org in Southeast Asia)
- Environmental protection efforts in the Mediterranean region (BeMed)
- Health Awareness Initiatives in the Middle East
- Environmental research projects in Antarctica
- Local community development projects in Europe and beyond
These CSR activities underline a corporate culture based on responsibility, ethical action and service to the community: values that are directly aligned with the ISO 26000 principles and reflected in SCA Group’s humanitarian logistics approach.
A trusted partner for humanitarian missions worldwide
Combining military precision, global reach and a long-standing commitment to responsible operations, SCA Group provides humanitarian actors with the infrastructure they need to save lives in some of the world’s most challenging environments.
Whether supporting medical relief vessels, coordinating inland operations or enabling NGOs to work safely in remote areas, the organization’s integrated model remains a trusted asset for international partners seeking reliability, responsiveness and operational excellence in humanitarian crises.
