ðə kˈʌmpəni ɚɹˈɪdʒᵻnˌeɪɾᵻd ɪn ˈeɪtʃvˈɪtsʔn̩, ɐ smˈɔːl tˈaʊn ˌɔn ˈɑːsləfdʒˌoːɹd ɪn nˈoːɹweɪ, ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈoːɹɾi ˈeɪt baɪ θɹˈiː ˈoʊlsən bɹˈʌðɚz, fɹˈɛdɹɪk kɹˈɪstʃən, pˈɛɾɚɹ ænd ˈændɹəz, hˌuː bˈɔːt ðɛɹ fˈɜːst ʃˈɪps ænd bɪɡˈæn ɐn ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl ʃˈɪpɪŋ kˈʌmpəni.
The company originated in Hvitsten, a small town on Oslofjord in Norway, in 1848 by three Olsen brothers, Fredrik Christian, Petter and Andras, who bought their first ships and began an international shipping company.