No loss should hit us which can be avoided with constant care.
The remark comes from a letter written in 1946 by the Danish shipowner A.P. Møller to his son, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller. It translates the Danish phrase “rettidig omhu”, which combines the ideas of timeliness and care, and is often rendered in English as “constant care”.
The statement draws a distinction between losses that are unavoidable and those that arise from negligence or a lack of foresight. It suggests that careful attention, applied at the right moment, can prevent many setbacks before they occur. In the context of shipping, where errors can carry great cost, the principle emphasises diligence and preparation over reaction.
The phrase has since become a guiding motto of the A.P. Moller-Maersk group and is widely quoted in Danish business culture as a broader principle of responsibility, applicable well beyond commercial affairs.
Original quotation in Danish
“Intet tab bør ramme os, som kan undgås ved rettidig omhu.”