Leiv S. Leknes
1956-2020

It was with great sadness we received the message that our good colleague, Deputy Port Director Leiv Sverre Leknes passed away on Sunday 11 October. Leiv passed away after a very short period of illness, and he leaves a big void in our organization.

Leiv Sverre Leknes was born in Kopervik on April 13, 1956. He was the son of Lilly and Sverre Leknes and grew up in Kopervik, where the family ran a hardware store in Hovedgata. Leiv learned to run a business early on and at a young age he began to be a errand boy for his father, among other things by delivering invoices to the family business’ customers in Kopervik. Leiv took the task seriously and never gave up until the outstanding was settled.

After a trade school and a short period in Haugesund Sjøforsikringsselskap, Leiv was in the coastal artillery where he served at Bolærne fort. He then took the telegraph school in Haugesund. After finishing school, Leiv went to sea and was hired by Rich. Amlie & co., For whom he sailed for two years on D/S Vestland as a telegraph operator. Even though he only had two years at sea, Leiv often referred to “his short but proud seafaring career”.

After Leiv met his beloved Anne Grete, he disembarked and began his career on shore. At first he went to Vico in 1982, where he was a seller of maritime electronics and mobile phones for a period of six years. Leiv believed that the great times at Vico helped convince him that the maritime industry and sales and marketing work was the right direction for him in his professional life.

Ever since childhood, the maritime industry has interested Leiv and after Vico, the trip continued to RG Hagland, where Leiv was employed as a ship broker in the company’s dry cargo department. He started here in the summer of 1988. When he started at Hagland, it was holiday time and he was immediately put in charge of handling the company’s bulk carriers, as well as their own and others’ container vessels. Despite an unknown and big task for a new employee, he was very motivated and learned things quickly. Leiv became a key employee in chartering Hagland’s fleet with self-loaders and container ships, before he was headhunted to the North Sea Container Line. Leiv had a very nice time in Hagland and he believed the best education was to work there. After 10 years in RG Hagland, dry cargo was replaced by the container industry in 1998.

Leiv was one of the first employees at North Sea Container Line, which he was to play a key role in the development of. During the period in NCL he was employed as Head of Sales and Chartering, in one of Norway’s largest and most profitable container shipping companies. In the Norwegian logistics industry, there are many who refer to Leiv as «Mr. Container in Norway ». Leiv was very proud of what he and his colleagues built up in NCL.

In 2014, after more than 16 years in NCL, Leiv wanted to work with the development of the region’s own port authority, Karmsund Port Authority. Leiv was hired as Maritime Director, with responsibility for the company’s maritime department. After a short time, Leiv was appointed deputy port director and CCO. During his years in the company, Leiv has meant a great deal to the development of the Port of Karmsund in general, and Haugesund Cargo Terminals (Husøy) in particular.

With his expertise, commitment and commercial flair, he has contributed greatly to the company’s growth, both in sales and freight volumes. Leiv believed that Husøy had the potential to become a major port in the North Sea Basin, a port that would provide great value and an even better logistics offer in Western Norway.

When we loosing a good colleague, it is the person Leiv was we will miss the most. Leiv’s contribution to the working environment in the Port of Karmsund has been formidable. He has served as a mentor for the entire organization, one who has always taken the time to explain and share of his broad knowledge.

His good humor, and sincere interest in other people, has given Leiv a network of good friends and connections all over the world, and many of us now miss Leiv.

Leiv has left a big mark in the region’s and the country’s maritime industry, a key figure in the industry has now passed away.

Our thoughts and deepest sympathy go to Leiv’s family, Anne Grete, Trude, Petter and Nora Emilie (grandchild).