Launched on 17 December 1955 in Foxhol[1] with the hull constructed by Scheepswerf Ferus Smit (Smit & Zoon) and completed by Royal Niestern Sander in Delfzijl entering service in May 1955[2] for Sven J. Mattsson of Slite, with the vessel being named by Mattsson's godmother Linnea and loosely translates to "Sunflower", it had a relatively uneventful life under Swedish ownership during which it carried cargo from Gotland to mainland Sweden as well as serving multiple other routes in the Baltic Sea.

[3] On 25 February 1964 the vessel collided with the Panamanian steam tramper Cissoula in the English Channel being badly damaged, the crew were rescued by the transatlantic MV Hallaren.

[3] In June 1976 it was transferred to Mattsson's new company Rederi AB Solklint founded the year prior who promptly sold 50% ownership off to CEO of Gotlandsbolaget, Eric D. Nilsson of Visby in November 1977 for 450,000 kr, it was renamed Nea,[1] Mattsson's nickname for his wife, so the name Solklint could be applied to its replacement.

[3] Nea's replacement effectively, built in 1978[4] bankrupt Rederi AB Solklint which was forced into liquidation so in June 1979 it was sold to Rolf H. E. Pettersson of Skärholmen for 800,000 kr who renamed it Lissa after Pettersson's eldest daughter, the ship entered service on 18 October 1979 in Kalmar being chartered for general cargo by Löfstrand & Brown.

[6][5][7][8] Following health problems stemming from a heart attack in April, Lissa was sold by Packer to former Special Air Service sergeant Mack McCormack in November 2006.