Short history of Lillgaard Company in Mariehamn

 

Rederibolaget Lillgaard was founded 22 august 1966. 

 

Lillgaard had its own contract with the two major forest industries on Åland Islands to carry woodchips from Åland to Sweden from the start of the company.

 

Owners: Viking Henriksson, skipper

Bengt Henriksson, boatswain

Pär Henriksson, engineer

Mårten Örblom, skipper

Torsten Nordberg, engineer

Bror Husell, manager 

Carl Rundberg, Forest businessman

All with a part of 1/7 each

 

Vessels: LILLGARD, IMO 5208293, 1966-1973. In woodchip traffic Åland-Sweden

FÄRJSUND, IMO 5115812, 1974-75 In woodchip traffic Åland-Sweden

 

The company was converted to Ltd, 16 february 1976. Rederiaktiebolaget Lillgaard

Owners: Viking Henriksson

Bengt Henriksson

Pär Henriksson

Mårten Örblom

Bror Husell, manager. Fired 1979. Sold his shares abt 1987 to Magnus Kåhre

Ålands Skogsägarförbund Alg.

Carl Rundberg Ab

All with 1/7 of the shares

Managers: 1979-82 Tore Johansson 

1982-99 Pär Henriksson

 

Vessels: LILLGAARD (II), IMO 7030509, 1976-88. In woodchip traffic Åland-Sweden.

ANN-Mari, IMO 7904516, 1986-90. Chartering managed by Rederi ab Engship.

BRITT-MARI, IMO 7904528, 1987-88. Chartering managed by Rederi Ab Engship.

LILLGAARD (III), IMO 7349871, 1988-06. In woodchip traffic Åland-Sweden.

ANN-MARI (II), IMO 8912376, 1991-97. Timecharter to Transfennica, later Finncarriers.

FJÄRDVÄGEN, IMO 7033202, 1994. In traffic Långnäs-Nådendal v/v.

FÄRDVÄGEN (II), IMO 7226952, 1995-2025. In traffic Nådendal-Långnäs v/v.

 

The majority of the Lillgaard shares was 1999 sold to Johan Eklund and Trygve Eriksson in the new company Lillgaard Holding in Mariehamn and new manager was Anders Nordlund.

 

The company then acquired several second hand vessels such as: Christa(8215649), Bianca(7217561), Breant(7802756), Forte(8802258), Largo(8808678), Hoburgen(8009088), Explorer(8511598), Trader(8511603), Tanja(8603547), Wilja(7700207).

 

Today 2025 there is only Fjärdvägen left, still in service. Trygve Eriksson is the major shareholder and Jonas Henriksson Managing director.

 

In autumn 2025 Rederi AB Fjärdvägen and the line to Nådendal was sold to Rederi Ab Eckerö and renamed Eckerö Link.

 

Later in the autumn Rederi Ab Eckerö acquired the roro vessel Sailor(8401444) from Estonia and she will be renamed Fjärdvägen and begin her service early 2026 for Eckerö Link replacing the old Fjärdvägen.

 

Paticulars taken from “Rederi Ab Lillgaards 25 första år” by Therese Kåhre in Sjöhistorisk årsskrift för Åland 2015-2016:28, published autumn 2016.

 

Compiled by Rainer Mattsson who served in various positions as deckofficer in Lillgaard Ab for abt 17 years.