Listed as coming from Bluff, the 19,882gt carrier Carl Oldendorff berths at Dunedin today to load logs. It will depart for Bluff in three days. Then on May 2, the ship is due to berth at Port Chalmers to complete its loading schedule before sailing for Inchon two days later.
The ship is operated by Oldendorff Carriers GmbH, of Lubeck. Owned within the Egon Oldendorff group by the Buchanan Maritime Corporation, it sails under the Liberian flag.
Over the years the houseflag, blue with the large white letters EO, has not been seen here often. But it is now becoming familiar after a visit by Lucas Oldendorff to Port Chalmers on March 19, 2010, to load logs.
Since then Cathrin Oldendorff and Albert Oldendorff have each made two visits, to load logs in both the upper and lower harbour.
These three ships and Carl Oldendorff are sister ships. They belong to a design that has been produced by Saiki Heavy Industries since 1999. Nine were delivered to the Oldendorff interests from 2000 to 2004.
Carl Oldendorff, the sixth to be built, was laid down on December 22, 2001, and delivered on April 11, 2002. But its launching on February 19, 2002 was significant in coinciding with the anniversary date of the company's beginnings on February 21, 1921.
Egon Oldendorff, the son of a village banker, was born on February 17, 1900, and died on May 9, 1984. He had just turned 21 when he became a partner in a small Hamburg shipping firm where he had been a trainee for nine months.
The company was renamed Lilienfeld and Oldendorff, but by the end of the year young Egon had gained control of the remaining shares.
Named Planet, the first ship in the fleet was a veteran 725gt steamer that had been built at Rostock in 1881. From humble beginnings in the Baltic bulk and forest products trade, the fleet numbered 13 vessels when World War 2 broke out. At the end of the war only two were left.
Today the company has grown to become the largest German bulk carrier company. It also operates many self unloading and multi purpose types as well as container vessels. Its spectacular growth is reflected in some of the following figures.
In 1980 the fleet was made up of 28 Oldendorff-owned vessels. By 1994 the company controlled 76 vessels, including 23 on time charter. In 2006 the number had climbed to a total of 236, with 180 on charter. In this, its 90th anniversary year, there are about 370 owned and chartered units serving in the fleet.
Maple Express is a 27,969gt, 45,798dwt tanker that has visited Dunedin. It is also a sister ship to Mermaid Express and Walnut Express, both local visitors in recent years. All were built at Usuki by the Minami-Nippon shipyard.
As with the earlier visitors, Maple Express is on charter to Mitsui-OSK Lines. The tanker entered service on October 17, 2002, under this name, owned by San Ei Marine SA. and registered at Panama. When taken over by East Harbour Shipping Ltd in June 2009, it was transferred to the Hong Kong register.
