Shipowner John Fredriksen, who is turning 75 this Friday, may be the richest Norwegian that has lived ever.

Fredriksen started as a telex messenger at broker Blehr & Tenvig with a zero fortune when he was 16 years old.

Norwegian magazine Kapital has published its annual list of the nation's richest people and estimates Fredriksen is worth NOK 113bn ($14bn), double anybody else on the list.

Professor and historian Knut Sogner tells the Norwegian daily Finansavisen that Fredriksen is the richest Norwegian ever, especially if one correct for inflation.

He questions what is driving Fredriksen, as it appears not to be creating the wealth, but that he has a winning instinct.

Shipping veteran Jan Haakon Pettersen, who was earlier in charge of Bergesen DY suggests, Fredriksen is likely the biggest and most successful shipping man the world has ever seen.

The professor says Fredriksen acts differently than other rich people in Norway previously in the sense that he appears to concentrate on running his business and is less interesting in Norwegian society.

Fredriksen has stated that he has ambitions of spending some more resources on the industrial part of his activities and to inject money into business where his group has considerable influence, like in Frontline, Golden Ocean Group, Flex LNG, Seadrill/Northern Drilling and Marine Harvest.

In the interview with Finansavisen, Sogner wishes one gift for the 75 year old shipping magnate on his birthday.

“That is to get the history written. John Fredriksen is an interesting phenomenon and he has a history that deserves to be written with full admission to all sources”, the professor states.

Fredriksen has told TradeWinds he is opting for a low key celebration of his birthday.