In 1935, Odd Eide purchased the wooden boat Knappen, a modest 27-foot vessel used for fishing and transporting doctors and midwives. This marked the very beginning of our maritime journey.
When Knappen was sold during the war in 1942, Odd acquired another wooden boat, Evy, of a similar type and purpose. Still, the war years left their mark on operations.
After the war, in the late 1940s, Odd decided to aim higher. He bought Bruland, a 60-footer that became the first dedicated cargo ship in Eides Rederi. It was used to transport building materials and marked the start of a new era for the company.
During the 1950s, Bruland II joined the fleet – originally built as an Arctic vessel but later serving on the Harstad–Tromsø route, mainly transporting iron and steel.
By the late 1950s, Odd expanded further with Nevada, a 56-foot wooden boat named after the U.S. state. It was used to carry timber and fish, particularly in Lofoten and Finnmark.
In 1965, Nevada was sold, and Odd bought Brødrenes Prøve, a 1918-built cargo ship. Around this time, he also founded the company Odd Eide & Sønner, which later evolved into Eides Rederi – today operating as Rignator AS.
A major turning point came in 1971, when Odd purchased the company’s first steel vessel, Tungholm. With a capacity of 110 tons, it was used for transporting materials and marked the beginning of a generational shift, as Odd’s sons, Bernt and Yngve, began taking on leadership roles.
In 1974, Tungholm was replaced by Stenbrodd, soon joined by Eide Junior. For the first time, the company operated two vessels simultaneously.
When Stenbrodd was sold in 1976, the following year, 1977, saw the arrival of Rignator. At 330 tons, it mainly carried sand, gravel, and general cargo. Yngve later joined with his vessel Caila, bringing the fleet to three ships: Rignator, Caila, and Eide Junior.
Through the 1980s, Eide Junior was converted into a well boat, and Steinar left the company with it. Odd retired, leaving Bernt and Yngve to lead the business forward.
By the late 1980s and into the early 1990s, both Caila and the first Rignator were sold, making way for Rignator II – a larger, modern 1,000-ton cargo ship equipped with an excavator. It mainly transported sand and gravel but also carried general cargo across the North Sea to England, Germany, and the Netherlands.
In the early 1990s, Yngve acquired a new Eide Junior, while Bernt continued operating Rignator. After a period of joint ownership, the brothers went their separate ways, each running their own vessel.
By 1995, the company name changed from Odd Eide & Sønner to Eides Rederi AS. In 2005 Rignator II was replaced by a new 1,700-ton Rignator purchased from Denmark, continuing the same type of operations. In 2004, Bernt’s son, Vegard, also became actively involved in daily management.
In 2016, the vessel was replaced once again with today’s Rignator, a 2,700-ton cargo ship. Vegard took over daily operations as Bernt gradually stepped back.
Finally, in 2022, the fleet expanded with Riger, a 4,500-ton vessel primarily carrying general cargo. At the same time, Rignator played a key role in the construction of the Hålogaland highway.
