For centuries the Ugland family has made their living from farming, forestry and shipbuilding. The famous local shipbuilder Halvor Olsen Ugland built the sailing ship FORTUNA in 1772. This was the start for the Ugland family in shipping.

Shipowner Jørgen H. Ugland sold off his shipping assets during the     1888 market peak. His son, Captain Johan M. Ugland, started the     family’s present involvement in shipping when he bought MV MELANIA in1930 and renamed the vessel SARITA after his wife. A/S Uglands Rederi, established the same year, is still the main shipping company     
in the present enterprise,The J.J. Ugland Companies (JJUC), named after J.J. Ugland, who joined A/S Uglands Rederi in 1947. He was active in the business for more than 60 years and the driving force behind the significant growth of the companies. His grandson, Knut N.T. Ugland, is currently the sole owner of JJUC. 

The headquarters of A.S Nymo, the EPC yard, is based at Ugland in Grimstad with facilities both in Grimstad and at Eydehavn near Arendal. The company was established in 1946 and acquired by Ugland in 1956. In 2006, the yard celebrated 50 years of Ugland ownership.

Historic milestones

Naming Traditions
In the past, Ugland’s sailing ships were given poetic names like VAAREN (spring) and MORGENGRY (dawn). SS FORTUNA was built in 1772 and later an accommodation rig was named FORTUNA UGLAND.

Today’s naming tradition was established in 1930 when Captain J.M. Ugland named his first vessel SARITA after his wife Sara. The traditional “-ITA” ending to the names is a reminder of the family’s lengthy stay in South America and is combined with names of family members, such as TAMARITA, LIVANITA, LISITA, EVITA, JORITA and ELLENITA. Spanish names are frequently used such as CARMENCITA, SENORITA and JUANITA.

The tankers trading off Newfoundland, Canada, have been given historical names. MT MATTEA was named in honour of the discoverer of Newfoundland. MT VINLAND reminds us of the Vikings visiting the area around year 1000. The third sister, owned by oil companies, is MT KOMETIK, an Inuit word for sledge.