Lunde Maritime

"But it was at sea that Kjell Inge Røkke laid the foundation for his career. Despite his young age and lack of education, he earned respect for his knowledge on board. This came in handy in the Norwegian community in Ballard, where everyone knew everyone. He got acquainted with Tor Tollessen at Lunde Maritime and Sigmund Eriksen at Lunde Electric, key suppliers of ship equipment to the fishing fleet."

"Most creditors were patient, but patience had its limits. Doug Turnbull and Gourock Division reached their limit on June 26, 1985. They still had not received their last 60,000 dollars, so Doug confronted Kjell Inge and put the knife to his throat. The outcome was another worthless letter, a so-called non-negotiable debt note, where Gourock got a lien on the fish aboard the "Karina Explorer". And so was everyday life at Karina Fisheries. The elastic was stretched further than advisable, creditors called and nagged, and Kari sat in the office calming them down. "This is how this business is," says Tor Tollessen at Lunde Maritime. "Fishermen usually have money just twice a year, and in many ways, we suppliers become a kind of bank with large outstanding amounts.""