Maersk facts for kids
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Maersk head office
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| Aktieselskab | |
| Traded as |
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| Industry | Freight transport |
| Predecessor |
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| Founded | 16 April 1904, Svendborg, Denmark |
| Founders | Arnold Peter Møller Peter Mærsk Møller |
| Headquarters | Copenhagen, Denmark 55°41′14.81″N 12°35′53.28″E / 55.6874472°N 12.5981333°E |
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Key people
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Vincent Clerc (CEO) |
| Products | Container shipping and terminals, logistics and freight forwarding, ferry and tanker transport, semi-submersible drilling rigs and FPSOs |
| Revenue | US$51.1 billion (2023) |
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Operating income
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US$4 billion (2023) |
| US$3.9 billion (2023) | |
| Total assets | US$82.1 billion (2023) |
| Total equity | US$55.1 billion (2023) |
| Owner | Møller/Mærsk Mc-Kinney Uggla family (69.92% voting power) |
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Number of employees
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105,908 (2023) |
| Subsidiaries | 900+ |
Maersk is a big Danish company that helps move goods around the world. It was started in 1904 by Arnold Peter Møller and his father Peter Mærsk Møller.
Maersk mainly focuses on shipping things in containers, running ports, and managing how goods get from one place to another. Its main office is in Copenhagen, Denmark. In 2023, Maersk had over 100,000 employees in 130 countries.
It's a family business, meaning the Møller family still controls it. In 2023, the company made US$51.1 billion in revenue. Maersk has faced some tough times, like a global economic slowdown and a computer virus attack.
Contents
Maersk's Story
The company, first called Dampskibsselskabet Svendborg, began in April 1904. Captain Peter Mærsk Møller and his son A. P. Møller started it in Svendborg, Denmark.
A. P. Møller's son, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller, became a partner in 1939. He took over the company when his father passed away. Later, other leaders like Jess Søderberg and Michael Pram Rasmussen took charge.
In 2016, Maersk decided to focus only on container shipping and logistics. They sold off their oil and gas businesses. For example, Maersk Oil was sold in 2018.
In 2017, a computer virus called NotPetya caused big problems for Maersk. It stopped their operations for several months.
Maersk is also working on being more environmentally friendly. In 2021, they bought 8 ships that aim to be carbon-neutral. In 2023, they showed the world's first ship that can run on green methanol, a cleaner fuel.
The Maersk Star Logo
The Maersk logo is a white, seven-pointed star on a light blue background. This star has a special meaning. It dates back to 1886, when Captain P. M. Møller used it on his first steamship, the s.s. LAURA.
The story goes that Captain Møller's wife, Anna, became very ill during a sea trip. He prayed for her to get better. She did recover, and he saw a star in the sky. He wrote to her that the star was a reminder that "the Lord hears our prayers."
When the company was founded in 1904, the seven-pointed star became its symbol. It has been Maersk's logo ever since, though it has been updated a few times. The current design was created in the early 1970s.
How Maersk Moves Goods
Maersk Line
Maersk Line is the biggest part of Maersk. It's one of the world's largest shipping companies. In 2013, it had over 600 ships and could carry 3.8 million containers. By 2021, it handled 17% of all global container shipping.
Maersk Line has some of the biggest container ships in the world. The Emma Maersk was the largest when it was built in 2006. Later, Maersk ordered even bigger ships called the Triple E class, which can carry 18,000 containers.
In 2011, Maersk Line even worked with the United States Navy to test using algae biofuel on one of its ships.
APM Terminals
APM Terminals is another part of Maersk. It runs ports and container terminals around the world. They have interests in 57 ports and terminals in 36 countries. They also manage 155 inland service locations in 48 countries.
Some of the places where APM Terminals operates include:
- Europe: Algeciras, Rotterdam, Valencia
- North America: Los Angeles, Miami, Port Elizabeth
- Latin America: Buenos Aires, Cartagena, Santos
- Middle East: Aqaba, Haifa, Jebel Ali
- Asia: Colombo, Qingdao, Singapore
- Africa: Abidjan, Tangier, Tema
Maersk Container Industry
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Maersk Container Industry makes containers for shipping. They have factories in China and their main office in Denmark. They also handle container repairs and sales.
Svitzer
Svitzer started in 1833 by helping ships in trouble. Later, it began towing ships. Maersk became the main owner of Svitzer in 1979. Today, Svitzer has over 400 tugboats and other vessels. They help ships in more than 100 ports and 20 oil and gas terminals worldwide.
Damco
Damco used to be Maersk's brand for logistics and freight forwarding. This means they helped manage supply chains and move goods for other companies. In 2019, Maersk decided to bring Damco's services directly into the Maersk brand.
Former Energy Businesses
Maersk used to have several energy-related companies, but they have since been sold or merged.
Maersk Oil
Maersk Oil was created in 1962 to explore for and produce oil and gas. They found oil and gas in places like the North Sea, Qatar, and Algeria. In 2008, oil and gas made up a big part of Maersk's earnings. However, in 2018, Maersk Oil was sold to a company called Total S.A.
Maersk Drilling
Maersk Drilling provided drilling services to oil companies. They owned many drilling rigs, including jack-ups and drillships. In 2022, Maersk Drilling merged with another company called Noble Corporation.
Maersk Supply Service
Maersk Supply Service helps the offshore industry. They have vessels that handle anchors, tow drilling rigs, and supply services to platforms at sea. In 2021, they had a fleet of 41 vessels.
Other Maersk Businesses
Maersk Line, Limited
Maersk Line, Limited (MLL) is a US-based company that is part of Maersk. It owns and operates US-flagged ships. These ships provide transportation and logistics services mainly for the U.S. Federal Government.
Sealand
SeaLand, also known as "Sealand – A Maersk Company," is an American shipping and logistics company. It became part of Maersk in 1999. The Sealand name was brought back in 2014 for services in the Americas. Later, it combined with other Maersk brands to cover Europe, the Mediterranean, and Asia.
Maersk Global Service Center
Maersk GSC runs service centers that handle office and support tasks for the Maersk Group. These centers are located in places like Chennai, Mumbai, and Metro Manila.
Maersk Training
Maersk Training offers special training for different industries. They train people for jobs in shipping, oil and gas, and wind power. They have training centers around the world, including in the UK, Denmark, and Brazil. In 2023, Maersk Training bought a Norwegian company called ResQ, which provides safety training.
Star Air
Star Air operates cargo planes, mostly Boeing 767s. They mainly fly for United Parcel Service (UPS) in Europe.
Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping
This center was created by Maersk and other companies. Its goal is to develop new, cleaner fuels and technologies for shipping. This will help the shipping industry reduce its carbon footprint.
Maersk and Climate Goals
Maersk is a very large company, and its operations produce a lot of carbon dioxide. Maersk has set a goal to become CO2 neutral by 2040.
The shipping industry is working to reduce its greenhouse-gas emissions. Maersk is part of this effort by investing in new technologies and cleaner fuels like green methanol.
Piracy Challenges
Maersk ships have faced challenges like piracy. On April 8, 2009, the Maersk Alabama was hijacked by pirates off the Somali coast. There were 20 American crew members on board. The crew fought back and regained control of the ship. However, the pirates took the captain hostage for four days.
The US Navy rescued the captain on April 12, 2009. Navy SEAL sharpshooters killed three of the pirates. This event was later made into a movie called Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks.
Piracy costs Maersk a lot of money each year. Ships have to take longer routes and sail faster to avoid dangerous areas, especially near East Africa.
NotPetya Malware Attack
On June 27, 2017, Maersk's computer systems were hit by a serious malware attack called NotPetya. This attack caused major disruptions to Maersk's operations for several months.
The attack was designed to look like ransomware, but it was actually meant to cause damage. It almost destroyed Maersk's shipping operations. The company had to rebuild its computer systems in just 10 days. This cyberattack caused Maersk losses of more than US$300 million.
Images for kids
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Safmarine Nokwanda
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Aliança
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Bust in Copenhagen
See also
In Spanish: A.P. Møller-Mærsk para niños
- Top container shipping companies
- List of petroleum companies
