30.12.09

The history of Ivan Ulsund AS involves a great number of vessels, including co-ownership of 20 fishing vessels since 1939. Ivan Ulsund was also engaged in freight traffic and had at most 4 operational vessels. The freight activity took place between 1967 to the middle of the 1980's, but was, however, not an economic success. If we also take Ivan Ulsund's sons - Svein, Tore, Bernt Ivar and Bjørnar - into consideration, the family has had approximately 25-30 fishing vessels since 1939. The "Trønderbas" is today the company's flag ship. She is the biggest fishing vessel in the Trøndelag region of Norway, and one of the largest purse seiners in the country. The vessel has a maximum basis quota for purse seiners, and in addition license for both herring and blue whiting. The "Trønderbas" fished for approximately 50 million NOK in 2002, and since 1999 the vessel has had a surplus before tax of 33.4 million.

                                                                                                                             
"Brusøyskjær"

Ivan Ulsund was born in 1921 in Austafjord, two miles outside Rørvik. He bought his first boat in 1939; M/S "Alken" was 30 feet long and also marks the beginning of the company. Later M/S "Magne" was built in 1930 - a carvel-built cutter which was lengthened from 44 to 52 feet and used for fishing herring. In 1959 he contracted his first newly built vessel, an 80 feet dorry snurper which was named "Brusøyskjær" and at the time cost a staggering sum of 425.000 NOK. The "Brusøyskjær" became a success for both owner and crew, and was frequently referred to in the local papers because of its good catching results. In a lot of ways we can say the "Brusøyskjær" made the foundation for the Ulsund company's further expansion.

The 1960's was a golden age in the herring fleet, including the Ulsund company. 1966 was especially a successful year, where "Brusøyskjær", "Strømegg" and "Ocean Senior" brought onshore a massive 157.000 hl of herring, capelin and mackerel to a first-hand value of 4.5 million NOK. That was far more than the vessels had cost all together. Tragic shipwreck and the first "Trønderbas" The most severe accident in the company's history happened on 25. march 1966 when "Ocean Senior" went down in Lopphavet, outside Finnmark. Two members of the crew perished. Ivan Ulsund proceeded immediately building a new vessel, the "Trønderbas", which was delivered 22. february 1967. The vessel was among the biggest in the country and had a loading capacity of a stunning 6.000 hl. The crew consisted of 14 men, and the price tag was 3 million NOK. But the company was struck by another accident when the vessel went down 15. january 1970 west of Hvide Sand on her way to Kristiansand.

As a replacement Ivan Ulsund bought a new “Trønderbas”, a 20 year old whaling boat. After reconstruction, the vessel was delivered in october 1971. She was 64 m long and had a loading capacity of 14.000 hl. With that the "Trønderbas" was the largest in the country. Already in february 1972 the company could announce a Norwegian record when the "Trønderbas" landed 12.500 hl capelin in Møre. "Trønderbas" landed the country's biggest quantity of capelin both in 1972 and 1976.

7 difficult years

If the 60's was a decade of expansion, the 70's became a decade for consolidation. The company was left with "Trønderbas" and owned 1/3 share of the new "Strømegg", a 51 m long purse seiner.

In 1978 the company sold its share "Strømegg" and invested the money into the purse seiner "Varberg" where Ivan, Christian and Tore Ulsund had the majority of the ownership. The vessel was 61 m long and was one of the first vessels with a freezing plant. It had a license for 11.000 hl.Tore Ulsund was the skipper. The beginning of the 80's was a difficult period in terms of uncertainty and economy. In 1981 the "Trønderbas" was sold after ten years of loyal service. For three years the company carried on with "Varberg" as the only vessel, before acquiring a new "Trønderbas" in 1984. The third "Trønderbas" was originally a whaling boat built in 1941, and was in 1972 reconstructed into a fishing vessel. When Ivan Ulsund took possession in 1984 it had the name "Furevik Senior".

1968-87 where eventful years for the family when Ivan, Bernt Ivar and Bjørnar Ulsund first bought the purse seiner "Torsver", which measured 46 m and had a license for 7.000 hl. Then the company contracted in swift order two new vessels - a 33 m long shell trawler for 27 million NOK from Moen Slip in Kolvereid and a newly designed purse seiner and factory ship for 63 million NOK. The ownership was named Trønderbas AS. "Torsver" was sold to England in November 1987 and the license was transferred to "Trønderbas".

The shell trawler was named "Polar Harvester" but never turned into an economic success. The vessel was later reconstructed into a shrimp trawler, nor this became particularly lucrative and was sold to the Faroe Islands in 1992.

The fourth "Trønderbas" was launched in Poland just before christmas in 1987 and was transported to Brattvåg in Sunnmøre for fitting up. The 60 m long vessel became the new flag ship, but from 1987 to 1993 the company had seven difficult years. High interest rates and poor prices on pedantic raw material didn't look good in the accounts, which led to the arrival of the Dutch company Rederij Samenwerking BV - a company the Ulsund family had collaborated with for many years. However, since 1994 most charts have been pointing upwards.

Latest acquisitions

During the nineties the preparations for a new vessel was made, and in july 1999 the fifth "Trønderbas" was built at the price of 115 million kroner. The vessel is 68.3 meters long and loads 1.800 tons. The owners are still Trønderbas AS, where the Ulsund family has got 60 percent of the stocks. The remaining 40 percent is owned by Rederij Samenwerking BV.

The latest acquisition to the company was M/S "Trønderkari, which was delivered in autumn 2002. The 27.4 meters long vessel had a price tag of 40 million kroner.

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