In 1904, 28-year-old Arnold Peter Moller together with his father, Captain Peter Maersk Moller, established A/S Dampskibsselskabet Svendborg and bought a second-hand steamer of 2,200 tons deadweight which was named "SVENDBORG". The company had its first office in A.P. Moller's childhood home, "VILLA ANNA", in Svendborg. Eight years later, A.P. Moller established Dampskibsselskabet of 1912 A/S. These two ship owning Companies still form the nucleus of the A.P. Moller Group.

On the death of his father in 1965, Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller assumed the leadership off the A.P. Moller Group which, thanks to initiative and foresight, has developed into a major international enterprise.

In 1993, Mr. Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller withdrew from the day-to-day management, but remained Chairman of the Board of the Shipowning Companies.

The A.P. Moller Group, whose headquarters are at Esplanaden, Copenhagen, has about 60,000 employees and 300 offices in more than 100 countries around the world.

The A.P. Moller fleet comprises about 250 vessels with a total deadweight about 7,000,000 tons and includes container vessels, tankers, bulk and special vessels, supply ships and drilling rigs. Maersk Sealand has the highest number of containers totaling to 800,000 containers.

Besides shipping the A.P. Moller Group is engaged in exploration for and production of oil and gas, shipbuilding, aviation, industry, supermarkets and EDP services.

Maersk Line started operations in the UAE in 1959 represented by Kanoo Shipping as principal agency. By 1992, Maersk Kanoo (UAE) LLC was formed, as sole agent for Maersk Sealand. Today, it has a sizable presence in the country with a regional and country office in Dubai and branches in Jebel Ali, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.