A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. A ship in port is safe; but that is not what ships are built for. This saying has also been credited to Albert Einstein and John A. ... Quote Investigator: In 1928 John A.

What does it mean a ship is safe in harbor?

As for the quote itself, its meaning is fairly clear: that it's better to get out and do the things you want to do, or the things you need to do, than to sit and rot and do nothing. Even if you fail, at least you'll have tried, and at least you'll have done something and learned something extraordinary in the process.

What does a ship in harbor is safe but that is not what ships are for mean?

A ship may be safe in a harbor, but if you wanted something safe, you would have built a fortress, not a ship. A ship, by nature of being lighter than water, is vulnerable to the wind and waves, the rocks and reefs and enemy action. But unlike a fortress, it can move wherever the wind and waves (and crew) choose to go.