Peter Mærsk Møller

Peter Mærsk Møller (Born 22. September 1836 in Østerby, at Rømø island at the Danish western coast, died 9. February 1927 in Svendborg, Fyn, Denmark) was a Sea Captain who perhaps is most known to be the father of A.P. Møller, the founder of the Maersk cooperation and grandfather of Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller who made Maersk the largest container ship operator and supply vessel operator in the world.^[1]

However this progenitor of the Maersk business conglomerate has made an impact on Danish shipping history himself as well. He made his merchant officer exam at Flensborg Navigation School and became Captain in 1861. His first assignment was the ship Prima in 1862.^[2]

After the Second Schleswig War in 1864, Rømø, like Flensborg became Prussian territory (and from 1871 German, and remained so until 1920, while Flensborg still is a German city), and he moved to Dragør only few kilometres from Copenhagen. He was the first in Denmark to suggest steam ships instead of sailing ships. He did so in 1884, as he moved from Dragør just south of Copenhagen, to Svendborg at island of Fyn.^[2]

In 1904 Peter Mærsk Møller founded Dampskibsselskabet Svendborg i 1904 (English: "The Steam Ship Company of Svendborg 1904") together with the fifth of his nine sons, Arnold Peter Møller. This encouraged eight years later A.P. Møller to start something of his own. And this eventually became the Maersk business conglomerate.

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