Houseflags of Norwegian maritime companies (U-V)

From the company website:

Viking Supply Ships AS (Viking) can trace its history back to 15 August 1946 when "Skipsaksjeselskapet Excelsior" (a limited shipping company) was established in Kristiansand. The company, known under the name of Bendt Rasmussens Rederi, with Bendt Rasmussen senior as general manager and had a fleet consisting mainly of tankers. At the end of 1973 Excelsior left the tanker market to join the fast- growing offshore market for supply vessels. Viking Supply Ships was established in 1974 as a marketing organisation, with Excelsior as managing owner. Excelsior was also the main partner in 10 limited partnerships, which owned a total of 16 supply vessels. In November 1985 it was decided to acquire all assets and liabilities in these general partnerships, in return for settlement in Excelsior shares. The supply fleet was thereby assembled in Excelsior, but from a market point of view continued under the name Viking Supply Ships.

In the spring of 1989 Christen Sveaas, together with other investors, acquired all the shares in Excelsior. Later that same year Excelsior changed name to Viking Supply Ships AS with its head office in Kristiansand. Viking's fleet of supply vessels grew throughout the nineties both through the addition of new vessels and acquired "second hand" tonnage. For a period Viking was also a rig- owning company (Jack-ups). The rig company was sold in 1995, and the entire fleet of supply vessels was sold in 1997.

Phil Nelson, 20 January 2006