Education
Born in 1940, Thowsen graduated from the University of Bergen in 1964 and received his doctor of philosophy degree in 1984 with a thesis on the shipping history of Bergen, 1914–1939.
Born in 1940, Thowsen graduated from the University of Bergen in 1964 and received his doctor of philosophy degree in 1984 with a thesis on the shipping history of Bergen, 1914–1939.
Having worked at the Bergens Sjøfartsmuseum since 1964, being promoted to Associate Professor in 1968, he became the director of the museum and the Norsk sjøfartshistorisk forskningsfond in 1993. In addition, he is editor of Sjøfartshistorisk Årbok. He contributed to the encyclopedia Norsk krigsleksikon 1940-1945, where he wrote articles related to the Norwegian merchant fleet, Nortraship and naval ships.