– It felt like a slap in the face, said general manager and expedition leader Emanuel Persson.

The world’s largest Viking ship was built in a large hall in Vibrandsøy from 2009 to 2012. This hall has become Draken’s headquarters in subsequent years. The ship was launched in 2012 and was built using Olav Tryggvason’s Ormen Lange battleship from 999 as a template.

After several years of trial sailing, the Viking ship began an expedition across the Atlantic Ocean in 2016, following in the footsteps of Leiv Eiriksson. The ship then received a lot of media coverage.

– Here we have sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and were welcomed with open arms wherever we went. At the same time, we are now completely thrown out into the street by Draken’s hometown, Persson said.

TV Celebrity

Big plans have been made for world celebrities in the coming years.

– It’s ironic that we are in talks with one of the big TV companies about a TV series about Dragons that will be broadcast worldwide for several seasons. The ship’s return to Haugesund will be the grand finale. A house that we can no longer access now, Persson said.

He recently received a letter from Haugesund municipality stating that the lease in Vibrandsøy had expired.

– I was very surprised. We have paid rent every year. “We also spent a lot of money on machines in the hall,” Persson said.

It needs its own place

NRK has obtained access to the letter from the city government. It said that “Haugesund Municipality now needs to use the leased area for its own use, and we therefore have to terminate the lease.”

– I can’t say much about our plans. We want activity in Vibrandsøy and have set up a steering group to work on this, says property manager Kristine Strønstad.

He also stated that the agreement was time-bound and actually expired at the end of 2019. Meanwhile, both parties are currently treating the agreement as if it were still valid. It will now be discontinued from June 30.

– I understand that they are reacting to the fact that there will be dismissals. But I don’t think we’ve driven them away yet. We have been trying to contact them by phone and email for some time, but have not been able to do so, Strønstad said.

The property manager now wants to have a dialogue with Persson to see if they can find a solution for Draken in Vibrandsøy.

Chairman: – Just nonsense

The chairman of Draken Harald Hårfagre, Sigurd Steen Aase, considers it absurd that the Haugesund municipality is trying to contact them.

– I haven’t heard anything from them before we received the resignation letter. When we received the letter, I contacted the property manager and asked if this was serious. Just that.

However, he is positive about having a dialogue with the city government.

– But the question is who from the municipality is running. Because what the property manager said was not true, said Aase