In 1935 he broke with his father to form his own company, Bergesen d.y.. The same year he bought the tanker "President de Vogue" (renamed "Bergesund"), in 1937 "Charles Racine" and in 1939 "Anders Jahre" (renamed "Bergeland"). By the time of the war he then had three major tankers, though "Charles Racine" was hit by torpedoes and destroyed in 1942. Bergesen used the war to position himself in the market, and by 1950 he had four ships in his fleet, by 1955 seven, and 16 by 1970.