This 44-year-old Dane’s epic, dubbed by him as “Once Upon A Saga”, has not been without other hiccups – visa hassles in Africa, mistakenly wandering into the dodgiest part of Panama City, riding out tempestuous storms at sea – but it has left him with a greater understanding of the world and an even greater affection for humanity.

“In the eyes of the public I have become an accomplished man worthy of attention,” says Pedersen, speaking from the Milan Maersk, which he boarded in Tanjung Pelepas, in southern Malaysia, on June 23.

“On a much more personal level, I have come to know myself far better and understand my capabilities and limitations. I have developed my understanding of culture, history, geography, geopolitics, interview technique, public speaking, language, negotiation, fundraising, people skills, creative thinking and problem solving, and my network is far larger than ever before.”

A goodwill ambassador for the Danish Red Cross, Pedersen has made his bid for a Guinness World Record the hard way: he travelled on a daily budget of US$20 , eating locally, spent a minimum of 24 hours in each country, relished the kindness of strangers and the hospitality of shipping corporations, and spread the message of slow travel to anyone who would listen.

However, the transition from happy wanderer to – if not A-list celeb, then certainly someone who merits a place on the front page for a while – has occasioned some surprise.

“Back in 2015, I did a Reddit AMA [ask me anything] which gave me attention like I had never experienced before. In 2020, the story broke that I was stuck in Hong Kong due to Covid with only nine countries left and the spotlight hit me again.

“This is my third round [of media interest] – the interviews are either superficial clickbaity Q&As or meaningful journalism which digs deeper and leaves the audience with value.

“I can’t help other than to feel sorry for Hollywood actors who need to go out on promotional tours for their latest films – it must be 10 times as bad for them if not more.”

The final few thousand nautical miles have given Pedersen time to pause and reflect as, for the first time in 10 years, he doesn’t have to worry about how he’s going to get to his next destination or whether his paperwork is in order.

“But I do not want to be without the knowledge I have gained. The past decade has shaped me into who I am and I would not want to be anyone else. Besides, I will never get the past 10 years back so there is no point in regrets.

“As far as future travel is concerned, it is certainly possible to travel sustainably. So I do not see any reason why people should not be able to travel for as long or as far as they want.

“I have reached every country without flying so it is definitely possible to rule out aeroplanes – although sometimes far from practical. There are many who venture out on year-long adventures in boats or on bicycles. For the less extreme there are buses and trains. So climate-friendly travel is definitely possible.

“And of course there are still places I’d like to visit myself – the Galapagos and Alaska, for example – and others I’d like to revisit. Hong Kong will forever be in my heart.”

With only hours to go until the end of his odyssey, Thor might be forgiven for repeatedly pacing the length of the Milan Maersk’s 399-metre (1,300ft) decks.

Despite having been more or less in perpetual motion for the past decade, rather than putting his feet up, Thor has a raft of deadlines on the horizon.

“I am writing a book about the journey, we’re putting the finishing touches to a documentary which will be released next year and I have a number of speaking engagements.