Untitled - Egon Oldendorff

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SS JOBST OLDENDORFF (1) on the lower reaches of River Elbe in the 1950s. (Photograph: Rolf Meinecke) 

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This book is dedicated to Egon Oldendorff, 1900–1984 

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Cover: 

GRETKE OLDENDORFF (4) on sea trials 

Front paper: 

T. A. VOYAGER ex-JOHANNA OLDENDORFF in the 

Pacific Ocean 

End paper: 

YEOMAN BROOK 

(FotoFlite) 

Note: 

Photographs not bearing the name of the 

actual photographer have been taken from 

the company archives. The publishers’ 

efforts to trace the names and/or the 

current addresses of the photographers 

concerned have unfortunately been 

unsuccessful. 

Conception, text and layout by 

Verlag Gert Uwe Detlefsen 

Rihimäkistraße 38a 

D-23795 Bad Segeberg 

Side drawings: 

Alfred Schneider, Flensburg 

Translation: 

C. Norbert Bellstedt, Hamburg 

Printed by: 

Satz & Druck Leupelt KG 

Heideland 0st 24 

D-249412 Jarplund-Weding 

© Egon Oldendorff 

Fünfhausen 1 

D-23552 Lübeck 

Phone + 4 51/150 00 

Fax + 4 51/ 7 35 22 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be 

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in 

any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, 

photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior 

permission in writing from the Publishers.

“What Do You Want to Achieve?” 

This was the question put to me in 

Hong Kong by a respected Indian 

shipowner. It was only a courtesy 

visit and I was prepared for the usual 

exchange of information and niceties. 

It was different this time. I heard the 

unexpected and philosophical questions: 

“What are your objectives in life?” 

“What do you really want to achieve?” 

I admit: I was speechless for a while. 

What was I to answer? I remember 

having mumbled something about the 

15 percent internal rate of return I would 

normally achieve and expect on my 

investments. The gentleman on the 

other side of the table smiled but did 

not seem impressed with the reply. 

So, what is it that drives our ambitions? 

Job satisfaction and a healthy family? 

Most certainly, yes. But when we have 

achieved that, what makes many of us 

want to expand the business further? 

Why do we want to see it grow bigger 

and bigger? What are we doing on this 

planet, in the middle of an endless 

universe, from cradle to grave? 

You may have the answer. Frankly, I 

have not found it yet. 

But, even if we still search for that 

answer, we strive to give our charterers, 

our shippers and receivers a good and 

reliable service. They can count on our 

commitment to carry their cargoes around 

the globe, safely, and arriving on time. 

Egon Oldendorff will continue to grow, 

but shipping is a cyclical industry with 

capital-intensive investments, volatile 

markets and a high risk profile. 

The safety net is our company policy 

whereby debts should not exceed a level 

of 50 percent of the market value of all 

assets. This way, we will always be on 

the safe side. 

In this respect I follow the philosophy 

of my father, the founder of the 

company. His achievements are 

described in this book and, in the last 

chapter, I am quoted as having 

characterized him as a man who was 

‘bold and cautious’ at the same time. 

He has certainly also striven for growth 

provided the risks he took were 

calculable and as long as he could steer 

clear of greed and arrogance. 

Some companies point to their turnover 

as a measure of success. It is easy to 

blow up your turnover by buying and 

selling assets. 

Profit and loss accounts can be just as 

misleading. Investing at the right time may 

produce heavy book losses through 

depreciation in a given year, yet the 

seeds may have been planted for growth 

and good profitability in the future. 

The only true indicator of success is a 

strong and growing net asset value. 

Of course, our most important assets are 

our staff. 

Today, I pay tribute to the large number 

of men and women who, through their 

hard work, dedication and loyalty, have 

helped Egon Oldendorff grow and 

prosper. Without them, there would be 

no anniversary and no celebrations. 

To describe the skills and efforts of 

those who have served the company 

afloat and ashore would fill another 

book. Also, it would be less than fair to 

mention some and leave uncommented 

the efforts of many others. 

This book commemorates our 75th 

anniversary. It tells stories about the 

ships and describes the activities of our 

subsidiaries. 

Let me express my sincere thanks to all 

our business friends who have trusted 

us and helped us along the way. 

What has driven us to achieve what we 

did in the past? 

We may never know, but we are 

certainly proud of it. 

Henning Oldendorff 

February 1996 

5

6 

1 KOMET 

2 PLANET 

3 OLGA ELISABETH 

5 NORDSTERN 

6 NORDLAND 

8 NORDMARK 

9 NORDKAP 

11 GISELA OLDENDORFF 

The Development of the Fleet of Egon Oldendorff 

NDR 

(Scale 1:1250) 

NDR 

NDR 

NDR 

NDR 

NDR 

NDR 

NDR

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

12 LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (1) 

13 KLAUS OLDENDORFF (1) 

14 DORA OLDENDORFF (1) 

15 HUGO OLDENDORFF (1) 

16 ERNA OLDENDORFF (1) 

17 HENNING OLDENDORFF (1) 

18 DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (1) 

7

8 

23 IRENE OLDENDORFF (1) 

24 BIRTE OLDENDORFF (1) 

25 DORTHE OLDENDORFF (2) 

26 IRENE OLDENDORFF (2) 




EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 



32 LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (2) 

36 DORA OLDENDORFF (2) 

33 IMME OLDENDORFF (1) 

34 CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF (1) 


37 GRETKE OLDENDORFF (1) 

9

10 

38 HILLE OLDENDORFF (1) 

45 ANNA OLDENDORFF (1) 

39 TETE OLDENDORFF (1) 

40 EIBE OLDENDORFF (1) 

42 HINRICH OLDENDORFF (1) 

41 CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (1) 

43 JOBST OLDENDORFF (1) 

46 HANS OLDENDORFF (1) 

44 GEBE OLDENDORFF (1) 

47 HELGA OLDENDORFF (1) 

48 JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (1) 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

49 MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF (1) 

50 ILSABE OLDENDORFF 





55 CHRISTIANE OLDENDORFF 



60 JOBST OLDENDORFF (2) 

11

12 




62 HELENA OLDENDORFF (1) 



67 RIXTA OLDENDORFF (1) 

69 GERDT OLDENDORFF (1) 



70 ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (1) 

71 CAROLINE OLDENDORFF (1) 

61 MARIA OLDENDORFF (1) 

72 EMMA OLDENDORFF (1) 

75 ECKERT OLDENDORFF (1) 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO

T 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 


81 LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (3) 83 DORA OLDENDORFF (3) 86 BIRTE OLDENDORFF (3) 87 HELGA OLDENDORFF (2) 

88 SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN 89 NIEDERSACHSEN 

90 GOOD FAITH 

91 FUTURE HOPE 

92 GLOBE TRADER 

93 SEA SCOUT 

94 BALTIC MERMAID 

95 MARINE RANGER 

96 RIXTA OLDENDORFF (2) 

97 REGINA OLDENDORFF (2) 

98 HELENA OLDENDORFF (2) 


100 JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (2) 

13

14 


102 MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF (2) 

103 MARIA OLDENDORFF (2) 

110 BEATE OLDENDORFF 




112 GERMAN SENATOR 

113 COLUMBOS OLIVOS 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

114 EMMA OLDENDORFF (2) 

115 ECKERT OLDENDORFF (2) 

116 EIBE OLDENDORFF (3) 



120 HELGA OLDENDORFF (3) 

125 HENRIETTE OLDENDORFF 

121 YEOMAN BANK 

122 LUCY OLDENDORFF 

124 ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (2) 

131 CAROLINE OLDENDORFF (2) 

132 DOROTHEA OLDENDORFF 



123 YEOMAN BROOK 

15

16 

126 HINRICH OLDENDORFF 

128 GERDT OLDENDORFF (2) 



129 CHRISTOFFER 

129 OLDENDORFF (4) 

133 CCNI AUSTRAL 



137 CCNI VALPARAISO 

138 MAGALLANES 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

EO 

140 LINDA OLDENDORFF 

141/142 Gdansk 

Newbuildings 

143/144 Dalian 

Newbuildings 

145/146/147/148 Wuhu 

Newbuildings 

150 FROTA DURBAN 

151 Jiangnang 

Newbuilding 

17

18 

◆ 

Shipping 

in the Early 

Twenties 

◆ 

Shipping is more than flashy luxury 

passenger liners, floating hotels or 

fast ferries. The real workhorses of 

the industry are the untiring 

freighters, be they tramp ships or 

liner vessels. In the old days 

trampers used to be humble ships 

certainly not over-engined and with 

modest cargo gear. They would seek 

and load cargo wherever offered, 

hopefully at rates that made ends 

meet. To this day ballast positioning 

voyages are part of the game as are, 

if less frequently, idle times. And then 

there are specialized ships far and 

few between in the twenties but 

quite numerous in this day and age. 

World War I, terminated in 1918, 

left the world fleet decimated but 

had not impaired the role of the 

irreplaceable ocean-going steamer. 

The advent of steamers gave birth to 

regular and reliable liner services 

around the globe and on many a 

local or regional route. Trade 

expanded in tune with rapid 

industrialization during the second 

half of the nineteenth century and 

shipping duly followed suit. Initially 

liner and semi-liner services would 

be the almost exclusive domain of 

steamers. In the year 1880 the 

merchant navies of all European 

nations totalled 127,170 sailships 

and no more than 13,858 steamers. 

1860 is acknowledged as the absolute 

peak of European sailships which 

outnumbered steamers at the rate of 

92,270 to 2,974. That ratio steadily 

declined ever since and steamers 

increasingly catered for bulk cargoes, 

a virtual monopoly occupied by 

sailships well into the first decade of 

this century. 

Large barks and full-rigged ships 

went through a short illusory boom 

during a few years following 1919 

when ships were scarce, but many 

different types of sailships held their 

own much longer in the coastal 

trades and in fishery. Steel had 

replaced brittle iron and as early as 

1901, a full 95 % of vessel 

newbuildings worldwide were made 

of steel. The first motorships already 

traded in 1920 but marine engines 

were yet to commence their real 

development and assumed a leading 

role only from 1950 onwards.

ss PLANET in the severe winter of 1928/29 

19

20 

◆ 

Egon Oldendorff 

from the 

North Sea 

◆ 

The German merchant fleet had lost 

1.2 million GRT in World War I 

through direct war action and 

another 1.5 million GRT had to be 

surrendered to the victorious Allies. 

What was left were so many 

businessmen registered as 

shipowners but without ships, and 

also seafarers (the latter included 

women who had served as stokers 

during the final stages of the war) 

with very few ships to sail in. German 

ships would mainly be found in the 

coastal and in the Baltic trades, predominantly 

served by vessels under 

1,600 GRT which did not have to be 

surrendered to the Allies. Numerous 

steamers of all sizes found employment 

in those trades, as did sailships and 

barges. The Hamburg firm of Lilienfeld 

& Homuth was active in the barge 

trade in the year 1920. The company 

hardly qualified as ship owners at 

that very time and it cannot be traced 

in any of the registers as owners of 

sea-going or selfpropelled vessels. 

However, the company was in 

business which presumably tempted 

young Egon Oldendorff to apply for 

a job. Egon Oldendorff was born at 

Dorum, situated in Land Wursten 

between Cuxhaven and Bremerhaven, 

on 17 February 1900 as the 

youngest of three children. His father, 

Ludolf, was an auctioneer and ran 

a private bank. Egon went to 

school in Dorum and in Lehe 

(now known as Bremerhaven). 

At the age of 16 and having taken 

O levels he decided to serve an 

apprenticeship at the farm of his 

uncle, Gustav Schmidtmann at Alsum. 

To grow up close to the coast, like 

the Oldendorffs, meant being in 

contact with shipping from an early 

age. Thus, Egon Oldendorff became 

Egon Oldendorff as a young man 

familiar with the coast, the tidal 

flats and the North Sea beyond 

them when his father took him seal 

hunting on the banks near the 

coastline. He would watch ships 

passing by, be it on outings to Cux-

haven or during his time at the 

Lehe school. 

Egon Oldendorff was drafted for 

military service shortly before the 

war ended and was discharged from 

the army on 31 December 1918 as a 

qualified cavalryman. He seriously 

considered to take up farming but 

agreed to his father’s suggestion to 

commence his working life in the 

parental private bank and thereafter 

serve as a trainee in Hamburg before 

finally deciding his future career. 

He worked in the bank until June 

1920 and opted for shipping during 

his time as a trainee with Lilienfeld 

& Homuth. 

In those days barges played the dual 

role of floating stores and of “feeder” 

vessels. Barges would collect export 

goods from provincial ports and 

convey them to the larger seaports 

for onward carriage to distant 

countries. Conversely, they would 

take imported goods from the 

seaports to smaller outports. To a 

lesser degree barges were employed 

Circular letter, announcing change of partnership and new company style. 

21

22 

in the shortsea trades. Whilst port 

tugs would busily be scurrying back 

and forth, barges would often sit 

moored at their berths for weeks 

before discharging or re-loading. 

Companies like Lilienfeld & Homuth 

that owned barges but no tugs 

depended entirely on third parties for 

towing services, and this was being 

felt even more acutely where the 

barges were mainly employed on 

liner routes. Lilienfeld & Homuth had 

liner services going from Lübeck to 

Stockholm and other eastern Swedish 

ports, and from Emden/Delfzijl to the 

United Kingdom, using their owned 

barges ROLF and GUNTHER plus a 

number of small barges chartered in. 

A broking department attended to 

chartering and S&P business. The 

headoffice was on the first floor of 

No. 55 Vorsetzen, owned by Hamburger 

Hafen-Dampfschiffahrt AG, on 

the river Elbe. There were two 

partners, two senior managers, Hans 

F. Schössow and Otto Alwin Michaelsen, 

plus a number of staff. 

The company also had a branch 

office in Lübeck, at No. 6 Grosse 

Altefähre. 

When Alfred Homuth retired early in 

1921, Albert Lilienfeld made young 

Egon Oldendorff, the trainee of only 

nine months, his partner, as 

evidenced by the entry in the Hamburg 

register of companies dated 19 

February 1921. The company style 

changed to Lilienfeld & Oldendorff, 

Shipowners and Shipbrokers, Hamburg, 

with a Lübeck branch office. 

Egon Oldendorff had come of age, at 

21, merely two days before that date, 

a prerequisite for holding company 

shares. Yet another two days later the 

company announced the news in a 

circular letter to its clients, making 

reference to Mr Egon Oldendorff the 

banker, an attempt apparently to hide 

the tender age of the new partner. 

An unnecessary precaution, as it 

turned out, since sharp-witted and 

highly motivated Egon Oldendorff 

wasted little time to become the company’s 

driving force. He had been quick 

to realize the drawbacks inherent in 

an operation based on owned barges 

but chartered tugs. The only way to 

keep the barges permanently employed 

was to increase their number and to 

own tugs, which in turn would enable 

Lilienfeld & Oldendorff flexibly to 

react to enquiries. A simple calculation 

revealed that high charter rates for 

tugs could have driven the small 

company into bankruptcy in a matter 

of a few months. Therefore, Egon 

Oldendorff sold both lighters and 

applied the proceeds to purchasing 

from English owners the British-built 

ss GLASSALT of 780 tdw which flew 

the new blue house flag as the ss 

KOMET. Alfred Lilienfeld passed away 

unexpectedly at the end of 1921 

which made 21-year old Egon 

Oldendorff the sole proprietor of 

the company. To facilitate the 

administration of the estate he 

established in 1922 the Nordische 

Dampfer-Reederei Lilienfeld & 

Oldendorff GmbH but that company 

did not become active until after 

Oldendorff moved headquarters to 

Lübeck in 1925.

ss KOMET, loading sawn timber at Kotka 

1) KOMET – 1923-1924 

call sign RDGF/DRBF – cargo 

steam-ship – 622 GRT/780 tdw 

55.71 m registered length, 

8.02 m breadth, 4.57 m depth 

compound steam engine, 400 HP, 

made by Hall, Russell & Co., 

Aberdeen 

July 1893 delivered by J. Duthie 

Sons & Co., Aberdeen (No. 163) 

as GLASSALT to W. Leslie & Co., 

Aberdeen (GBR). 

1886 sold to Aberdeen & Glasgow 

SS Co. Ltd., Aberdeen (GBR), J. 

Duthie Sons & Co. appointed as 

managers. 

1907 sold to Harries Bros. & Co. 

1918 sold to London Transport 

Co. Ltd., London (GBR), Brown, 

Jenkinson & Co. appointed as 

managers. 

1920 E. J. Heinz appointed as 

manager. 28.2.1923 sold to Lilienfeld 

& Oldendorff, Hamburg 

(DEU), renamed KOMET. 21.1.1925 

transferred to Nordische Dampfer 

Reederei mbH., Lübeck (DEU). 

1.7.1925 port of registry Lübeck. 

24.7.1934 sold to G. Russo fu 

Diego, Messina (ITA), renamed 

MARIA CLARA. 1938 sold to Raffaele 

Romana, Naples (ITA). 1939 renamed 

POMEZIA. 29.5.1940 taken 

over by Italian Navy as F 7, from 

1.6.1940 until 13.1.1941 in navy 

service, converted to a reefer ship. 

8.9.1943 in German hands, 

remained in service as a reefer. 

19.1.1944 sunk at Rhodos by an 

air attack. 

23

24 

◆ 

Ships 

for Nordische 

Dampfer 

Reederei 

◆ 

At the end of March 1922 Lilienfeld & 

Oldendorff bought the ss PLANET of 

870 tdw from Altona shipowner H. 

Homuth, presumably a relative of 

Alfred Homuth who had retired not 

long ago. The ship, delivered in July 

1881 by Rostocker Aktiengesellschaft 

für Schiffs- & Maschinenbau had 

never changed its name and had 

spent 37 years in liner services operated 

by Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft 

‘Neptun’ of Bremen. It turned out 

later that Egon Oldendorff had 

acquired a very sturdy and durable 

vessel. She became a total loss as late 

as November 1943, after more than 

62 years of service. In 1923 Lilienfeld 

& Oldendorff were appointed 

managing owners for the 650 tdw ss 

OLGA ELISABETH, purchased from the 

Netherlands by Schiffahrtsgesellschaft 

‘Niederelbe’ mbH. 

Egon Oldendorff moved the 

company headoffice to Lübeck in 

1925, initially operating there under 

the style of Nordische Dampfer Reederei 

GmbH. The liner service linking 

Lübeck with Stockholm had 

developed successfully from modest 

beginnings and provided 

remunerative employment for PLANET 

and KOMET. It made sense to have the 

management of a Lübeck-based liner 

service in that city, and there was no 

absolute need to maintain a Hamburg 

presence. The other reason could 

have been that in Hamburg, Lilien- 

feld & Oldendorff were one of very 

many shipowning companies which 

made it difficult at times to obtain 

credit facilities. The latter were not 

easy to get by, and expensive at that. 

Established in 1921, Lilienfeld & 

Oldendorff could not claim war 

losses, and banks would preferably 

finance ships under reconstruction 

schemes for owners whose fleets had 

suffered during or after the war. Most 

European nations were virtually 

bankrupt and resorted to printing 

paper money, regardless of 

consequences. By the year 1922 the 

German mark had lost three-quarters 

of its 1919 value, and the decline 

accelerated dramatically. The Berlin 

money press could no longer cope 

with the demand for notes, and a 

local telephone call in that city cost 

the staggering amount of 500,000 

marks. Galloping inflation from 

mid-1922 until the 17th November 

1923 became an insurmountable 

obstacle to raising credits and loans. 

This continued for a short period of 

time following the introduction of the

2) PLANET – 1921-1934 

QDLC/DRBG – cargo steamship – 

696 GRT/880 tdw 

56.90 m registered length, 7.84 m 

breadth, 4.66 m depth 

expansion steam engine, 285 HP, 

made by the shipbuilders, 12 knots 

July 1881 completed by Rostocker 

AG für Schiffs- & Maschinenbau, 

Rostock (No. 62) as PLANET for 

Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft 

‘Neptun’, Bremen (DEU). 1898 

re-engined at Copenhagen with a 

triple-expansion engine of 285 HP, 

made by Helsingör Jernskibs- & 

Maskinbyggeri, Helsingör. 

August 1914 interned in Bilbao, 

1918 released. Was to be allocated 

to France but due her small size 

she remained with her owners. 

3) OLGA ELISABETH – 1922-1924 

RCHL – cargo steamship – 483 

GRT/650 tdw 



triple-expansion engine, 450 HP, 

made by Gebr. Stork & Co., Hengelo 

December 1916 launched. 1917 

completed by Scheepswerf ‘de 

Maas’, Slikkerveer, as KRALING- 

SCHEVEER for Rotterdamsche Algemeen 

Scheepvaart Mij., Rotterdam 

(NLD). 1919 sold to N.V. van der 

Eb & Dresselhuys Scheepvaart 

Mij. 1921 sold to W. H. James & 

Co. 31.3.1922 sold to Schiffahrtsgesellschaft 

‘Niederelbe’ mbH., 

Hamburg (DEU), Lilienfeld & 

Oldendorff, Hamburg, appointed as 

managers. 4.6.1924 sunk 230 nm 

ENE off Tynemouth when on a 

voyage from Burntisland to Grenaa 

with coal. Crew was rescued by 

British trawler CHEVIOTDALE. 

25.6.1918 sold to H. Schacht, 

Altona (DEU). 17.1.1921 sold to 

H. Homuth, Altona. 21.3.1921 

registered at Hamburg (DEU). 

23.3.1921 sold to Lilienfeld & 

Oldendorff. 14.10.1924 transferred 

to Nordische Dampfer Reederei, 

managed by Lilienfeld & 

Oldendorff mbH., Lübeck (DEU). 

9.7.1925 registered at Lübeck. 

7.6.1934 sold to Pittaluga & 

Bertorello, Genoa (ITA), renamed 

PONTINIA. 1937 sold to R. Romano, 

Naples (ITA). 1941/42 chartered by 

Royal Itialian Ministry of Marine. 

13.9.1943 in Venice seized by 

Deutsches Reich, taken over by 

Mittelmeer-Reederei GmbH (DEU). 

23.11.1943 wrecked in heavy 

weather and stranded at the 

entrance of Canal di Sut, off Zara. 

ss OLGA ELISABETH passing Hakenterrasse at Stettin. 

ss PLANET, ice-bound in the Baltic Sea, receiving supplies from the 

crew of battle cruiser SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN. Winter 1928/29. 

25

26 

so-called Renten-Mark when the 

appetite for credits became almost 

insatiable. Lübeck was the home of 

only a handful of shipowning companies, 

competition was less fierce and 

the whole business environment 

appeared a little more relaxed. 

Coinciding with the company’s move 

to Lübeck the economy began to 

recover, slowly but surely. 

Nordische Dampfer Reederei bought 

a 1,200 tdw steamer from Swedish 

owners. The ship was registered 

in Lübeck in February 1926 as the 

MAGNET. OLGA ELISABETH, the ship 

under Lilienfeld & Oldendorff 

management, had sunk in 1924. 

The owned fleet now comprised 

three steamers. Oldendorff added, 

in September and November 1925, 

the 850 tdw steamers NORDSTERN 

and NORDLAND, thereby departing 

from ship names ending on ET as 

for his first vessels. The following 

six ships were all given NORD names, 

Stevedores loading bagged cargo. 

much in line with the owners style, 

Nordische Dampfer Reederei. 

The ss NORDLICHT and NORDKAP, 

purchased until January 1929, at 840 

and 700 tdw respectively, stayed 

within the former size bracket. The 

ss NORDMARK (2,008 tdw) and the 

ss NORDFELS (1,800 tdw), built 1901 

at Rotterdam and 1904 at Newcastle 

were decidedly larger, and younger. 

The vessels found employment 

in the North Sea and Baltic trades. 

Westbound cargo consisted of 

Finnish and Swedish timber for 

Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, 

Belgium and Great Britain. The ships 

would return to the Baltic Sea 

carrying British coal, salt from Delfzijl 

and assorted generals from Hamburg 

and Lübeck to Baltic Sea outports.

Grab handling of pit props. 

In those days round voyages took 

weeks. Even small ships would 

spend two weeks loading timber. 

Pre-slinging was yet to be invented, 

and the majority of ports required 

ship’s gear with winches operated by 

crew members. All that took time 

even though ports worked 

twelve-hour shifts and Saturdays 

were considered normal working 

days. However, time was not at a 

premium. More often than not it 

would take several hours or even a 

full day to lash the deck cargo and to 

cover it with tarpaulins, to secure the 

loading gear and to replenish 

bunkers. Discharging operations, i.e. 

pulling the beams and boards out 

from the stow and putting them into 

slings went a little faster. 

Loading coal in British ports would 

normally be accomplished in a matter 

of hours, but loaders frequently had 

to queue for days for their turn under 

the chute used in most British coal 

ports. Most of those ports only had 

one chute, and sometimes dozens of 

A British coal chute. 

ships rode at anchor in the roadstead 

awaiting their turn. Given normal 

freight rate levels most voyages 

produced a profit. By and large 

conditions of carriage struck a fair 

balance between charterers and 

owners, and demurrage clauses 

softened the blow when loading or 

discharging times were exceeded. 

27

28 

ss MAGNET 

4) MAGNET (1) – 1926-1929 – PCDT 

cargo steamship – 809 GRT/1200 tdw 



triple-expansion engine, made by 

J. Steward & Co., London, 508 HP, 

10.5 knots 

5) LÜHE/NORDSTERN – 1926-1939 

QFTP/QKRM/DRBW/DBIH/ 

DKOR/DGUL 

cargo steamship – 1083 GRT/1150 

tdw 



triple-expansion engine of 650 HP, 

made by the shipbuilder, 11 knots 

August 1893 launched at Möller & 

Holberg, Stettin (No. 418). 

23.11.1893 completed as ALBATROSS 

for Norddeutscher Lloyd, Bremen 

(DEU). 4.8.1897 sold to 

Dampfschiffahrts-Gesellschaft 

‘Argo’, Bremen. 1.8.1914 seized at 

Libau by the Russians. 2.8.1914 

scuttled there as a blockship. 

1917 salvaged and towed to 

Lübeck. 26.6.1917 returned to her 

owners. 4.7.1917 sold to Vereinigte 

Bugsir- & Frachtschiffahrts 

Gesellschaft AG., Hamburg 

June 1871 completed by T. Turnbull 

& Son, Whitby (No. 26) as WHITE- 

HALL for own account (GBR). 1887 

sold to H. D. Pilcher, Whitby (GBR). 

1891 re-engined by original builders. 

1892 sold to H. C. Smith (NOR). 

1893 sold to O. Thoresen, Tönsberg 

(DEU). 1.5.1919 renamed LÜHE. 

15.12.1919 owners’ style changed 

to Bugsier-, Reederei- und 

Bergungs AG., Hamburg. 

17.9.1926 sold to Nordische 

Dampfer Reederei, Lübeck (DEU), 

Lilienfeld & Oldendorff appointed 

as managers. 26.4.1927 renamed 

NORDSTERN (intended name: 

NORDLAND). 20.2.1937 sold to 

Egon Oldendorff. 29.4.1939 sold 

to Paul Zoeke of Zoppot (DEU), 

Pachur & Prahl GmbH appointed 

as managers. 15.8.1940 registered 

at Danzig. February 1945 owner’s 

domicilie transferred to Fehmarn. 

In May 1945 the ship was at 

Warnemünde, November 1945 at 

Kiel. In August 1946 reported at 

Borgstedt (Kiel-Kanal) with 

considerable damage. 4.6.1947 

owned by a Partenreederei with 

Paul Zoeke as managing owner. 

18.10.1947 registered at Hamburg 

(NOR). 1894 sold to A. Monsen, 

Tönsberg, renamed FLUGT. 1899 sold 

to F. Olsen, Hvidsten (NOR). 1899 

sold to A/S Bonheur, Christiania 

(NOR), F. Olsen appointed as 

manager. 1900 sold to Rederi Selskabet 

‘Flugt’, Christiania (NOR), 

F. Olsen appointed as manager. 

1908 back to AS Bonheur, Christiania 

(NOR), F. Olsen remained 

manager. 1911 sold to A/S D/S 

Flugt, Langesund (NOR), Jacobsen 

& Co. appointed as managers. May 

1917 sold to A/S Superb, Christiania 

(NOR), Olsen & Ugelstad appointed 

as managers. January 1918 placed 

under the control of The Shipping 

Controller, London (GBR), Witherington 

& Everett appointed as 

managers. 1919 returned to 

D/S A/S Flugt, Langesund (NOR) 

with Jacobsen & Co. as managers. 

September 1921 sold to A/S Furu- 

(DEU). In November 1948 back 

in trade. 1947, 50 % of the shares 

sold to Dr. P. Dohse. 22.10.1953 

ss LÜHE named NORDSTERN from 1927 

land, Brevik (NOR), S. Uglestad 

appointed as manager. 1921 sold to 

A/B Möller, Stockholm (SWE), Persson 

& Co. appointed as managers, 

renamed SIKLA. 1923 sold to Rederi 

A/B Roland, Stockholm, H. Boklund 

appointed as manager. 1924 sold to 

Otto Thoresen, Tönsberg (NOR). 

1925 sold to Rederi A/B Sunminget, 

Stockholm (SWE), F. Persson 

appointed as manager. 13.2.1926 

sold to Nordische Dampfer Reederei 

mbH., Lübeck (DEU), Lilienfeld 

& Oldendorff appointed as managers, 

renamed MAGNET. 28.5.1929 

sold to Riccardi, Naples (ITA). 1929 

renamed NEMI. (according to unconfirmed 

sources vessel was 

renamed GUISEPPE RICARDI in 1931) 

18.5.1932 wrecked and sunk 15 nm 

SW of Cape Spartivento/Calabria 

when on a voyage from Girgenti 

to Pescara with stonesalt. 

sold by auction for 53.000 DM to 

E. Ritter. 23.11.1953 sold for demolition 

with Eckardt & Co., Hamburg.

ss NORDLAND arriving at Travemünde October 1933. Poor lashing of Leningrad timber caused cargo to shift to starboard in heavy seas. 

Breaking seas soaked the cargo adding to its weight. Endeavours failed to jettison deck cargo by cutting the lashings. Instead cargo piled 

against the fore-mast which broke, crashed into and gashed starboard aft bulwark. Fore-mast was flame-washed off Gotland, repairs were 

effected to broken steering rods and cargo partly re-stowed into position. The bilge pump was temporarily out of order, and unfortunately 

the portside coal bunker had been the first to be emptied. Yet, NORDLAND remained afloat and reached her home port, Lübeck. 

6) NORDLAND – 1926-1939 

RHMT/DRCA/DBII/DKOQ/DAKP 

cargo steamship – 686 GRT/# 

850 tdw 



compound engine, 500 HP, made 

by the shipbuilders 

27.4.1889 completed by Helsingör 

Jernskibs- & Maskinbyggeri, 

Helsingör (No. 17) and on 

13.9.1899 registered as 

SUNDSVALL for PR with H. M. 

Gehrckens, Hamburg (DEU), as 

managing owners. 20.11.1926 

sold to Nordische Dampfer Reederei 

mbH., Lübeck (DEU), 


as managers, 8.12.1926 renamed 

NORDLAND. 15.1. 1937 sold to 

Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck. 

29.4.1939 sold to Paul Zoeke of 

Zoppot (DEU), Pachur & Prahl 

GmbH appointed as managers. 

15.8.1940 registered at Danzig 

(DEU). In Februray 1945 owners 

domicile transferred to Fehmarn. 

1945 laid up at Borgstedt (Kiel- 

Kanal). In August 1946 renamed 

SUNDSVALL. 18.10.1947 registered 

for a PR at Hamburg (DEU), Paul 

Zoeke & Dr. P. Dohse acting as 

managing owners. 27./28.4.1950 

beached and wrecked in stormy 

weather near Gardskagi/Reykjavik, 

when on a voyage from 

Hamburg to Keflavik with salt. 

29

30 

The first office of Egon Oldendorff 

in Lübeck, Große Altefähre 

7) NORDLICHT – 1927-1933 

HDGB – cargo steamship – 652 

GRT/850 tdw 




made by the shipbuilders, 11.25 

knots 

March 1889 completed by S. & H. 

Morton & Co., Leith (No. 53) as 

KOPERNIKUS for M. Cohn & Sohn, 

Königsberg (DEU). 1902 reengined 

at Danzig with a new 

engine made by J. W. Klawitter. 

1916 sold to E. Scherlau GmbH., 

Stettin (DEU), renamed MARIE 

SCHERLAU. 12.10.1916 sold to 

Vereinigte Bugsir- & Frachtschiff 

Ges., Hamburg (DEU), 2.1.1917 

renamed EMS. 15.12.1919 owners’ 

style changed to Bugsier-, Reederei- 

& Bergungs AG., Hamburg. 

14.9.1921 sold to Reederei K. M. 

Faber & Co. GmbH., Hamburg, 

renamed GRETA. 18.3.1927 sold 

to Nordische Dampfer Reederei 

mbH., Hamburg, Lilienfeld & 

Oldendorff appointed as managers. 

21.4.1927 transferred to Lübeck 

(DEU) and renamed NORDLICHT. 

3.2.1933 sold to F. Silberman, 

Colon (PAN), renamed TEL AVIV. 

1933 renamed SILVA. March 1934 

sold to J. E. Laurent Quittard, 

Paris (FRA). April 1934 sold to 

P. Pagan, Venice (ITA), renamed 

SILVIO. 1934 sold to G. Pagan, 

Venice (ITA). 1935 renamed 

SILVIO PAGAN. 1936 sold to 

G. Riccardi. 1938 sold to E. Camina, 

Genoa (ITA), renamed FIUMICINO. 

1939 sold to Agenzia Marttima 

Coloniale SA., 1940 sold to 

P. & M. Martini, Genoa, renamed 

NICOLE MARTINI. 1940 back to 

Agenzia Marittima Coloniale. 

11.9.1943 sunk at Spalato in 

German air attack. 

8) NORDMARK – 1927-1945 and 

1947-1955 

PCFW/DRCL/DAIE – cargo 

steamship – 1060 GRT/2004 tdw 




made by the shipbuilders, 11.3 knots 

1907 completed by Rotterdamsche 

Droogdok Mij., Rotterdam (No. 3) 

as CONSTANCE CATHARINA for Noord 

Nederlandsche Scheepvaart Mij., 

Harlingen (NLD), T. Vellinger 

appointed as managing owner. 

1915 sold to NV. Mij. Stoomvaart 

Woensdrecht, Rotterdam (NLD), 

renamed WOENSDRECHT. 1920 sold 

to NV. Mij. Kustvaart, Rotterdam, 

P. van Ommeren appointed as 

managers. 1921 sold to Brynmor 

SS. Co. Ltd., Swansea (GBR), 

Letrichuex & David Ltd., 

appointed as managers, renamed 

REYNOLDSTONE. 1924 sold to D/S 

A/S Carolvore, Farsund (NOR), 

Lundegaard & Stray appointed as 

managers, renamed CAROLVORE. 

23.12.1927 sold to Nordische 

Dampfer Reederei mbH., Lübeck 

(DEU), Lilienfeld & Oldendorff 

appointed as managers, 14.1.1928 

renamed NORDMARK. 15.1.1937 sold 

to Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck. 9.5. 

1945 seized by Norway at Bergen, 

where under repairs. 1945 owned 

by Norwegian Government, Bergen 

(NOR), A. Schjelderup appointed 

as manager, renamed LEKNES. 1947 

returned to the Control Commission 

Germany at Hamburg, subsequently 

returned to Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck (DEU), and 

renamed NORDMARK. 20.4.1955 

sold to Paulsen & Ivers Schiffahrts- 

& Kohlenhandels Ges., Kiel 

(DEU), and in May renamed FANAL. 

May 1958 sold to Eisen & Metall 

AG., Hamburg, for demolition 

which took place in August.

ss NORDMARK arriving at Travemünde 

9) NORDKAP – 1928-1939 

HFVR/GVP/DRCO/DDNR – 

cargo steamship – 545 GRT/700 tdw 





June 1891 completed by J. W. Klawitter, 

Danzig (No. 156) as MIET- 

ZING for D. H. E. Siedler, Danzig 

(DEU). 1895 sold to F. G. Reinhold, 

Danzig,. 1897 back to D. H. 

E. Siedler and again in 1904 to F. 

G. Reinhold. 20.3.1916 handed 

over to Kaiserliche Marine, Hilfs- 

Ms Div. Kiel-HS 11. 17.11.1916 

returned to owners. 1920 (DZG). 

20.3.1922 sold to a Partenreederei 

at Stettin (DEU), Reederei K. M. 

Faber & Co. GmbH., Hamburg 

acting as managing owners, 

renamed DESIA. 14.5.1924 registered 

at Hamburg (DEU). 29.3. 

1928 sold via Hans Schüssow, 

Hamburg, to Nordische Dampfer 

Reederei mbH., Lübeck (DEU), 


as managers, renamed NORDKAP. 

15.2.1937 sold to Egon Oldendorff. 

29.4.1939 sold to Paul Zoeke, 

Lübeck (DEU), Pachur & Prahl 

GmbH appointed as managers. 

12.4.1940 damaged by air attack 

and beached in Fehmarnbelt 

whilst on a voyage from Stettin to 

Copenhagen. 22.4.1940 salvaged, 

arrived at Lübeck on 23.4.1940. 

Declared a constructive total loss 

due to age and damage, sank 

whilst berthed. 1.8.1940 registered 

at Danzig.1941 salvaged, towed to 

Lübeck and laid up. 21.4.1941 

sold to Arnold Thyselius, Bremen 

(DEU), renamed FIDO and repaired 

by owners, using cement and 

ss NORDKAP waiting for orders 

wood. 1.8.1941 sailed for Copenhagen 

for final repairs. 9.5.1945 

at Flensburg. 4.2.1953 arrived at 

Bremen-Vegesack for demolition. 

31

10) NORDFELS (1) – 1929-1944 

RQKB/DRCT – 1214 GRT/1800 tdw 




made by New England Marine 

Eng. Co. Ltd., Newcastle, 11.5 knots 

October 1904 delivered by Wood, 

Skinner & Co., Newcastle (No. 

123) as TOWNELEY for Burnett SS 

Co. Ltd.,Newcastle (GBR), Burnett 

& Co. appointed as managers. 

18.4.1910 sold to F. W. G. Lehmann, 

Hamburg (DEU) and renamed 

32 

ss NORDFELS (Collection Theodor Siersdorfer) 

JOHANNA LEHMANN. 1920 owner’s style 

changed to Dampfer Rhederei 

F. W. G. Lehmann, Hamburg. 

January 1929 sold to Nordische 

Dampfer Reederei mbH., Lübeck 

(DEU), Lilienfeld & Oldendorff 


NORDFELS. 15.1.1937 sold to Egon 

Oldendorff. 9.5.1944 captured by 

the Allies at La Rochelle. May 

1945 shifted to La Pallice. 24.10. 

1945 at St. Nazaire. 1947 handed 

over to S. O. G. E. C., Union 

d’Enterprises et de Commerce 

acting as managers (FRA). 1948 

renamed ANFA. 1948 transferred to 

Panamanian flag (PAN) and Soc. 

Générale d’Enterprises et de Commerce, 

Lisbon, appointed as managers. 

1952 sold to Suiza Panamena 

de Nav. San Esteban SA., Panama 

(PAN). 1952 sold to F. Tomei, Rome 

(ITA), renamed RENATO TOMEI. 

1954 sold to R. Romano, Naples 

(ITA), renamed POMEZIA. 1958 sold 

to D. Dammacco, Bari (ITA). 

1959 renamed ANITA DAMMACCO. 

1960 broken up in Italy. 

A company advertisement, 

published in the Lübeck 

Chamber of Commerce journal 

on 15.11.1927

◆ 

Tramping 

The 

Hard Way to 

Earn a Living 

◆ 

Seafaring in those days meant hard 

manual work. Accommodation on 

board was anything but luxurious. 

Officers had narrow and sparingly 

furnished outer cabins accessible 

from hot alleyways leading to the 

engine room. Ratings, stokers and 

coal trimmers were put up under the 

forecastle head, the most obvious 

place in vintage steamers. 

Newbuildings from the thirties 

onwards had accommodation 

amidships or aft, but older vessels 

would of course not be converted 

solely for the purpose of improving 

crew accommodation. Nautical crew 

and the cook had the privilege of the 

starboard compartments, stokers had 

theirs on the port side. There 

normally were two crew 

compartments, one each for eight 

men, into which the bunks would be 

squeezed with maximum space 

utilization in mind, as opposed to 

comfort. One locker per person, and 

a narrow one at that, offered just 

enough room for personal effects 

normally carried on board in a duffle 

bag. As Jochen Brennecke aptly 

described it in his book ‘Geschichte 

der Seefahrt’ (‘History of Navigation’): 

“...there was a bare mess table in 

the centre of the room which all 

had to share. Electric lighting was 

late to come. The pungent stench 

of oil lanterns combined with smells 

and odours of all sorts to form 

what is commonly known as fug. 

Showers and baths were quite un- 

known, except those provided by 

breaking seas in rough weather. 

However, good owners saw to good 

food, realising that good crews 

could prevent costly desasters.” 

Looking back it is often forgotten that 

those ashore, be they factory 

workers, artisans or office staff did 

not live in paradise either. The vast 

majority of people led a hard life full 

of privation and what little time off 

they had would have to be spent in 

various ways maintaining their 

modest belongings or improving their 

income or the quality of their food. 

Hard work and deprivation aside, 

seafaring was a sought-after manner 

of earning one’s keep. Nautical and 

technical seafarers with a sense of 

duty earned a reasonable income. 

They progressed in life even without 

taking university degrees and above 

33

34 

all they could see foreign countries 

which most landlubbers could not. 

Nordische Reederei had survived 

inflation and the bitterly cold winter 

of 1928/29. North Germany recorded 

temperatures of minus 40 

centigrades. Rivers and coastlines 

froze over and hundreds of ships, 

including the PLANET, were 

ice-bound in the Baltic Sea. It so 

happened that good fortune was on 

her side. By the time she had 

consumed her coal bunkers the 

battleship SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN 

appeared, and not only did she 

supply bunkering coal, she also 

freed the PLANET from the ice and 

escorted her to Kiel where she 

waited in safety for better weather 

conditions. 

Black Friday of the 29th October 

1929, the first major stock exchange 

crash, played havoc not only with the 

savings of American citizens. Wall 

Street shares alone lost 14 billion 

Dollars, and US national losses 

totalled 30 billion, or close to 40 

percent. World economy got out of 

control. The worldwide economic 

crisis of 1931/32 produced 27 million 

jobless, 15 million thereof in Europe 

and 12 million in the United States of 

America, an indication, incidentally, 

of the degree of concentration, at 

that time, of economic activities on 

those two continents. A full 43 

percent of the German population fit 

for work had lost their jobs, and an 

even higher percentage in Austria. 

Egon Oldendorff could not escape 

the general trend. Lack of cargo 

forced him to suspend the Stockholm 

liner service, for good. The jobless 

count in Germany rose from over 

four million in early 1930 to just 

under six million on 15 January 1932. 

German ports gradually resembled 

ship cemetries. As of the 1st April 

1932, a total of 460 German ships 

aggregating 1,357 million GRT were 

in layup, equalling about 34.8 

percent of the German merchant 

fleet. Scandinavian and German 

shipping suffered in addition through 

Sterling devaluation, that being the 

lead currency of the time for 

seafreights. Egon Oldendorff was 

forced to lay up his entire fleet, not 

just the smaller units but also, during 

the winter, his nine modern and, 

therefore, more efficient steamers 

NORDMARK, NORDFELS and GISELA 

OLDENDORFF. 

“Ostseehaus” the second office of 

the company at Lübeck, Untertrave 84.

Ice-bound ss PLANET in the severe 1928/29 winter as seen from battle cruiser SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN. 

Crew members of the battle cruiser handling coal to replenish bunkers of ice-bound steamer PLANET. 

35

36 

◆ 

More Ships 

Despite 

the Crisis 

◆ 

At a time when most shipowners had 

to reduce their fleets owing to lack 

of resources, Egon Oldendorff 

purchased the Belgian ss PETER BENOIT 

of 2,200 tdw and renamed her the 

GISELA OLDENDORFF. The 1902 

Hoboken-built vessel was the first to 

be named after a family member, 

a tradition that continues to the 

present, with exceptions proving 

the rule. 

Egon Oldendorff became a member 

of the executive board of the German 

Shipowners’ Association in 1934, and 

he served on a committee that negotiated 

with the Reich government for 

a 77 million Reichsmark aid package, 

eventually granted to German shipowners 

in April 1932. The ss MAGNET 

had been sold in 1929, followed in 

1934 by the KOMET and PLANET which 

went to Italian buyers. Freight rates 

improved gradually, and the programme 

introduced by the new Reich 

government, designed to aid shipping 

and shipbuilding began to yield 

first results. German shipping slowly 

but steadily recovered and so did the 

Lübeck shipowning company, Egon 

Oldendorff. Two ships joined the 

fleet in 1936, the KLAUS OLDENDORFF 

(1) in April, named after the owner’s 

son born in 1933, and the LUDOLF 

OLDENDORFF (1) in December which 

bore the name of the owner’s father. 

LUDOLF OLDENDORFF had served its 

previous Jewish owner Arnold Bern- 

ss GISELA OLDENDORFF discharging timber in London. (Photograph: Alex Duncan)

ss DORA OLDENDORFF in her grey war camouflage 

stein as the converted car carrier 

TRACTOR of 2,620 tdw but Oldendorff 

had her retrobuilt into a normal 

freighter as he could not prolong the 

original contracts for the carriage of 

wheeled vehicles. 

Fleet expansion continued: DORA 

OLDENDORFF (1), built 1896 and of 

4,470 tdw, named after the owner’s 

sister, was purchased in 1938, to be 

followed in 1939 by HUGO OLDENDORFF 

(1) of 3,000 tdw, ERNA OLDENDORFF 

(3,400 tdw) and HENNING OLDENDORFF 

(5,930 tdw). This brought the average 

deadweight capacity of the ten 

Oldendorff ships to 2,785 tonnes. 

The smaller units continued trading 

in the North and Baltic Seas but the 

larger ones also found other 

employment: Scandinavian ores to 

Germany, timber from Baltic ports 

to the Netherlands, pitprops and 

pulpwood from the Baltic to the 

United Kingdom and to the 

Netherlands, pitch from the river 

Thames to the Mediterranean, grain 

from the Baltic and the Black Sea to 

various destinations, pyrites from 

Spain to Northern Europe, locust 

beans from Cyprus to Wales, etc. 

37

38 

ss GISELA OLDENDORFF wearing the number allocated to her by the Allied Control Commission, in the Lübeck Hansahafen. (Photograph: Hans Kripgans) 

11) GISELA OLDENDORFF 1932-1958 

PCHM/DRDL/DAED – cargo steamship 

– 1361 GRT/2200 tdw 




made by North Eastern Marine 

Engineering Co. Ltd., Wallsend, 

11 knots 

May 1902 completed by SA. 

Chanteliers Nav. Anversois, 

Hoboken (No. 12) as PETER BENOIT 

for Compagnie Maritime Belge 

SA., Antwerp (BEL), F. Alexander 

appointed as manager. July 1932 

sold to E. L. Oldendorff & Co 

GmbH., Lübeck (DEU), renamed 

GISELA OLDENDORFF. October 1933 

Nordische Dampfer Reederei 

mbH., Lübeck, appointed as 

managers. 30.12.1936 sold to 


31.5.1945 at Lübeck with bottom 

damage. 16.1.1958 laid up at 

Lübeck. 19.4.1958 arrived at 

Hamburg to be demolished by 

Eckhardt & Co.

12) LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1936-1944 

RDMC/DHXY – cargo steamship – 

1937 GRT/2620 tdw 





Engineering Co. Ltd., Newcastle 

May 1903 delivered by C. S. Swan 

& Hunter Ltd., Wallsend (No. 287) 

as WESTMOUNT to Montreal Transport 

Co. Ltd., Montreal (GBR). 1916 

sold to Inter American SS Co. Ltd., 

Montreal, renamed WETHERSFIELD. 

1918 sold to Canadian Maritime 

Co. Ltd. 1921 sold to E. J. Heinz 

13) KLAUS OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1936-1942 

MSHL/MFKD/DMAQ – cargo 


71.37 m registered length, 10.33 

m breadth, 4.26 m depth 


made by the shipbuilders, 11.5 

knots 

October 1893 completed by AG 

‘Neptun’, Rostock (No. 140) as 

GEORG MAHN for H. W. Podeus, 

Wismar (DEU). 1894 H. Podeus 

appointed as manager. 1910 

G. Fischer appointed as manager 

and homeport Rostock. 1919 formally 

allocated to Great Britain. 

1920 sold to F. W. Fischer, Rostock 

(DEU). 3.10.1921 renamed MAGDA- 

LENA FISCHER. 1.1.1924 sold to Erik 

Larsen, Rostock (DEU), 1925 renamed 

ELLEN LARSEN. 29.2.1926 

sold to Otto Zelck GmbH., Rostock 

(DEU), renamed JOACHIM ZELCK. 

May 1928 sold to Fischer & Larsen, 

Rostock (DEU). September 1928 

renamed RITA LARSEN. July 1931 

Ltd., London (GBR). 15.6.1923 sold 

to Arnold Bernstein, Hamburg 

(DEU), renamed MAX BERNSTEIN. 

11.5.1925 sold to a Partenreederei, 

Arnold Bernstein appointed as 

managers. 29.1.1926 renamed 

FORDSON I, 4.3.1926 renamed 

TRACTOR. 11.9.1930 owner’s style 

changed to A. Bernstein Schiffahrt 

GmbH. 31.12.1936 sold to Nordische 

Dampfer Reederei mbH., 

Hamburg (DEU), Lilienfeld & 

Oldendorff appointed as managers. 

6.2.1937 registered at Lübeck and 

renamed LUDOLF OLDENDORFF. 

15.1.1937 sold to Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck. 28.8.1939 called at 

Vigo, sailed 11.11. camouflaged 

ss KLAUS OLDENDORFF (1) 

sold to ‘Orion’ Schiffahrts GmbH., 

Rostock (DEU), renamed GOTIA. 

28.4.1936 sold to E. L. Oldendorff 

& Co., Lübeck, Nordische Dampfer 

ss LUDWIG OLDENDORFF approaching Holtenau locks, Kiel Canal 

as Danish EDITH and arrived 

7.12.1939 at Lübeck. 9.10.1944 

Reederei mbH., appointed as 

managers. 12.6.1936 renamed 

KLAUS OLDENDORFF. 30.12.1936 sold 

to Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck 

sunk by British airtorpedo at 

Sirevaag/Egersund. 

(DEU). 24.11.1942 struck mine 

and sunk 25.11. at 04.55 hours in 

Bay of Bothnia when on a voyage 

from Reval to Helsingfors. 

39

40 

14) DORA OLDENDORFF (1) – 1938- 

1946 

LNSJ-DMAN – cargo steamship – 

2730 GRT/4470 tdw 




made by Blair & Co., Stockton 

15) HUGO OLDENDORFF (1) – 1939- 

1945 

KQDJ/RCLT/DHKM – cargo 






Engineering Co., Sunderland, 

12 knots 

16) ERNA OLDENDORFF (1) – 1939- 

1947 

MFPH/DMAV – cargo steamship – 

2095 GRT/3400 tdw 





Co. Ltd., Sunderland, 11 knots 

June 1896 completed by Short 

Bros., Sunderland (No. 255) as 

WILHELMINA for Stoomvaart Mij. 

‘Noord Europa’, Rotterdam (DEU). 

1900 sold to Wilhelmina SS Co Ltd., 

London (GBR), T. Stephen & Sons 

appointed as managers. 1913 sold 

to Home SS Co. Ltd., St. Johns/NF 

(GBR), J. A. Young appointed as 

managers, renamed EKASONI. 1915 

sold to Gaston, Williams & Wigmore 

of Canada, St. John’s (GBR). 1919 

sold to A. S. Randall & Co. Ltd. 

1921 sold to The New Line SS Co. 

Ltd., Leith (GBR), R. Mackie & Co. 

appointed as managers. 29.12.1923 

June 1904 completed by Craig, 

Taylor & Co., Stockton (No. 103) 

as HARALD for Harald Steamship 

Co. Ltd., London (GBR), Van 

Ysselsteyn & Fils appointed as 

managers. 1906 sold to Stoomvaart 

Mij. Terneuzen (NLD), Managers 

unchanged. 1906 A. C. van 

Lensen appointed as manager. 

1910 sold to NV. Mij. Stoomship 

Harald (NLD), L. Bröll appointed 

as managers. 1914 sold to West- 

23.11.1900 lauched, 24.12.1900 

completed by J. Priestman & Co., 

Sunderland (No. 85) as SVEND II 

for D/S Carl, Copenhagen (DNK), 

L. H. Carl appointed as managers. 

24.4.1917 transferred to The 

Shipping Controller, Lambert 

Bros. Ltd. appointed as managers. 

13.3.1919 returned to D/S Carl. 

19.11.1918 sold to D/S Gorm, 

Copenhagen (DNK), A. O. Ander- 

sold to Gustav Salling Dampfschiffsreederei, 

Flensburg (DEU), 

renamed GUSTAV SALLING. 28.6.1926 

sold to Leonhardt & Blumberg, 

Hamburg (DEU). 10.12.1926 

renamed KARL LEONHARDT. 12.10. 

1927 sold to Erik Larsen, Rostock, 

renamed ERIK LARSEN. May 1931 

sold to ‘Orion’ Schiffahrts GmbH., 

Rostock (DEU). October 1935 

sold to a Partenreederei, E. Ahrens 

Dampfschiffsreederei, Rostock 

(DEU), appointed as managers. 

Port of registry´s style changed in 

1937 to Seestadt Rostock. April 

1938 sold to Egon Oldendorff, 

fälische Transport AG., Emden 

(DEU). August 1914 at Kronstadt 

seized by the Russians, in service 

as mine transporter TSE. 1918 

returned to owners. 27.8.1920 

allocated to the Allied Commission, 

18.11.1920 handed over to Great 

Britain, The Shipping Controller, 

Mgr. J. Westoll (GBR). 16.10.1921 

sold to Seereederei ‘Frigga’, Hamburg 

(DEU), renamed HARALD. 

6.1.1933 sold to ‘Orion’ Schiffahrts- 

sen & P. Carl appointed as 

managers. 6.5.1920 sold to Det 

Forenede D/S, Copenhagen 

(DNK), 14.8.1920 taken over at 

Korsör. 21.6.1924 renamed SVEND. 

31.1.1927 sold to Otto Zelck 

GmbH, Rostock (GBR) and 

renamed LENA PETERSEN. 4.2.1927 

taken over at Middlesborough. 

March 1931 transferred to Otto 

Zelck. May 1931 sold to ‘Orion’ 

Lübeck (DEU). 15.6.1938 renamed 

DORA OLDENDORFF. 17.1.1943 

stranded off Libau, refloated one 

day later. 11.4.1943 stranded at 

Kringlen/Olofjord, 13.4.1943 

refloated and repaired for 

101,658.66 RM at Hamburg, 

suffered bomb damage whilst in 

Blohm & Voss drydock. 9.5.1945 

at Flensburg. 16.9.1946 seized by 

the Allies. 13.10.1945 at Hull 

allocated to Great Britain, Ministry 

of War Transport, London (GBR). 

2.2.1947 scuttled with 2507 t gas 

ammunition in the Bay of Biscay 

in position 47.40 N 09.22 W. 

gesellschaft mbH., Rostock (DEU) 

and renamed BALTIA. 1937 port 

of registry's style changed to Seestadt 

Rostock. 26.5.1939 sold to 

Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU), 

2.6.1939 renamed HUGO OLDEN- 

DORFF. May 1945 at Lübeck seized 

by Great Britain. 16.3.1946 scuttled 

with gas ammunition in Scaw, 

vessel was part of fourth convoy 

from Lübeck. 

Schiffahrtsgesellschaft mbH., 

Rostock (DEU). 1937 port of 

registry's style changed to Seestadt 

Rostock. 26.5.1939 sold to 


2.6.1939 renamed ERNA OLDEN- 

DORFF. 26.1.1941 left Vigo with 

speed reduced to 3 knots on 

account of fouling, stranded at 

Marin, later refloated. 9.9.1941 

sunk on St. Nazaire roads

following a collision with the 

anchoraged German MT BENNO 

due to steering failure in strong 

river current, in convoy St. 

Nazaire to La Pallice, Nantes and 

Rotterdam. March 1947 salvage 

attempts proceeding and 

14.4.1949 reported blown up as 

she was a danger to navigation. 

17) HENNING OLDENDORFF (1) – 1939 

DREW – cargo steamship – 3986 

GRT/5950 tdw 




made by Koniklijke Mij. ‘De 

Schelde’, Flushing, 12.5 knots 

August 1916 completed by A. 

Vuijk & Zonen, Capelle a/d Ijssel 

(No. 444) as LEERSUM for 

Stoomvaart Mij. ‘Ostzee’, Amsterdam 

(NLD), Vinke & Co. 

appointed as managers. May 1939 

sold to Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck, 

renamed HENNING OLDENDORFF. 

2.11.1939 sailed from Huelva with 

a cargo of sulphur pyrite bound 

for Germany. 17.11.1939 in 

position 63.00 N/10.13 W 

captured by the British cruiser 

HMS COLOMBO in Denmark Street 

and 20.11. taken to Kirkwall. 

3.1.1940 as EMPIRE INDUSTRY under 

the control of the Ministry of 

Shipping, London (GBR), D. 

Alexander & Sons appointed as 

managers. 16.3.1941 sunk by 

gunfire of the German battle 

cruiser GNEISENAU southeast of 

New Foundland in position 43.27 

N 45.25 W when on a ballast 

voyage from Hartlepool via Loch 

Ewe to Galveston. 

ss LENA PETERSEN became the ERNA OLDENDORFF (1) in 1939. (Collection Theodor F. Siersdorfer) 

Bought by Egon Oldendorff in May 1939, Dutch ss LEERSUM traded as (Collection G.J.de Boer) 

the HENNING OLDENDORFF (1) for just under six months. 

41

42 

◆ 

Full Ahead 

Into 

Desaster 

◆ 

Shipping in the western hemisphere 

enjoyed prosperous times when the 

outbreak of World War II brought it 

to a standstill. The coded QWA-7 

message dated 25 August 1939 

alerted German merchant ships to 

the imminent eruption of hostilities. 

On receipt of that message shipmasters 

were to open a sealed envelope 

containing instructions to keep 30 to 

100 nautical miles away from usual 

tracks. Another coded cable, QWA-9, 

dated 27 August 1939 requested all 

German ships to do their utmost to 

reach a German port within four days, 

failing which to make for a Spanish, 

Japanese, Italian, Russian or Dutch 

port. Homeward bound ships found 

it difficult to interpret the message. 

On 28 August QWA-10 for all practical 

purposes cancelled QWA-9 and 

permitted ships to return to Germany 

even if in that process they exceeded 

the four-day limit. Part of the Oldendorff 

fleet was trading worldwide at 

this time and only one steamer was 

lost shortly after the war broke out. 

LUDOLF OLDENDORFF and HUGO OLDEN- 

DORFF performed daring escapades on 

their ways back to home waters. In 

the three-volumed war-time history 

of the German merchant fleet, Die 

Deutsche Handelsflotte 1939-1945, 

jointly published by Hans-Jürgen 

Witthöft and Ludwig Dinklage, the 

former recorded the homeward 

voyage of ss LUDOLF OLDENDORFF in 

great detail: 

„The ss LUDOLF OLDENDORFF, captain 

Meinert Matthiesen, had reached 

Casablanca on 24 August 1939 to 

load a cargo of phosphate rock. She 

sailed for Rotterdam on 25 August 

having loaded 2,850 tonnes. The ship 

received the first coded message when 

she was about to sail. On receipt of 

the second cable Captain Matthiesen 

decided to proceed to Vigo as a port of 

refuge. He intended to continue his 

voyage immediately after replenishing 

bunkers and provisions as he considered 

his chances for a breakthrough 

to be good at that time. However the 

local German consulate instructed 

him to stay in port and await further 

orders. 

Eventually, LUDOLF OLDENDORFF sailed 

from Vigo on 11 November as the 

second ship of a group of vessels. 

The crew disguised their ship on the 

morning thereafter: a red band with 

a white cross on a black funnel, 

name changed into EDITH, home port 

Copenhagen, Danish national

neutrality emblems painted on the 

ship’s sides and a hand-made Danish 

flag. To have bought a Danish flag in 

Vigo might have given away the 

intended camouflage. Steering up to 

20° West and thereafter up to 58° 

North the vessel passed the straights 

between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, 

on 24 November, closely 

watched by the British. A gale force 

wind blew and the seas were rough. 

The ship had to heave-to at 09:00 a.m. 

when the third mate on watch 

reported a ship approaching from aft. 

The zigzagging stranger closed in 

quite rapidly and turned out to be the 

British light cruiser SHEFFIELD. With 

flying signals she narrowed the 

distance to about 1,000 metres. 

LUDOLF OLDENDORFF could not make out 

the signals but assumed them to be 

‘Where to?’ and ‘Maintain radio 

silence’, or something to that effect, 

normal at times of war. The 

unhurried reply read ‘Danish ss 

EDITH, en route from Iceland to 

Copenhagen’. Under no circumstances 

should the ship be captured by the 

enemies, and uncomfortable moments 

followed. Bad weather made it 

virtually impossible to lower lifeboats. 

With HMS SHEFFIELD abeam to port, 

secret documents were dumped over 

the starboard side in a bag suitably 

weighted with bits of metal to make it 

sink. So as not to create suspicion an 

outwardly calm and composed master 

stood on the bridge, and those officers 

and crew with things to do on deck 

went about their chores in perfect 

discipline paying no attention to the 

SS LUDOLF OLDENDORFF 

cruiser. By contrast, LUDOLF OLDENDORFF 

noticed a certain amount of excitement 

on the latter. HMS SHEFFIELD 

refrained from either inspecting the 

ship or asking for her documents, 

most probably realizing that rough 

seas would in any event have prevented 

lowering a boat. After about 20 

minutes on the port side of LUDOLF 

OLDENDORFF the cruiser passed her 

stern at close quarters to check the 

name and home port, crossed her bow 

and departed towards the north, 

changed course at two miles distance, 

passed the freighter’s bow at high 

speed and disappeared from sight 30 

minutes later steering a southerly 

course. A trawler passed by at a 

distance of six to seven miles at 1:30 

p.m. on that day, apparently a patrol 

vessel, but took no action. 

The ship luckily escaped seizure 

or sinking, thanks to the calm and 

level-headed conduct of her master 

and crew. One day earlier in 

approximately the same position the 

ss KONSUL HENDRIK FISSER had been 

stopped and seized. 

Weather conditions improved as the 

vessel proceeded but turned into a 

strong easterly gale on 26 November 

which calmed down somewhat on the 

following day. Anchor was dropped at 

Kristiansand at midnight on the 28 

November, the river pilot having 

43

44 

boarded two hours before. Heavy 

fouling had reduced the speed of the 

ship, now aged 36 years, to an 

average of five knots, but events 

proved that even slow ships had a 

genuine chance of blockade busting. 

The ss LUDOLF OLDENDORFF reached 

Sundsperre on 6 December and 

berthed at Lübeck one day later.“ 

Captain Mathiesen was virtually 

inundated with honours and gifts to 

commemorate his remarkable and 

successful breakthrough. He was 

decorated with the ‘Kriegsverdienstkreuz 

mit Schwertern’ and with the 

blockade runner badge, was given 

permission to fly the blockade runner 

pennant and received an autographed 

photography of Adolf Hitler. 

The ss ERNA OLDENDORFF was en route 

from Rotterdam to Las Palmas with a 

cargo of coal, with some 700 miles to 

go to destination, when the QWA 

cable reached her. Captain Freyer 

heeded the warning and changed 

course to Vigo, the nearest Spanish 

port. The cargo of coal was discharged 

at the Vigo coaling depot. The master 

could not interpret the QWA-10 

message even though he was a 

reserve naval officer but in any case 

he could not have left port without 

topping up bunkers, provisions and 

water. He endeavoured to obtain 

these supplies but was instructed to 

remain at Vigo for some considerable 

time before being permitted to 

proceed to a French Atlantic port. 

Again citing from the Dinklage/Witthöft 

book, „the ss HUGO OLDENDORFF 

was the only ship that made it to 

Germany steering a northerly course 

from the south of Spain. Caught by 

the outbreak of war at San Juan del 

Puerto, Captain Bohnhoff decided to 

load cargo at Sevilla and thereafter to 

return to Cadiz. There, orders reached 

him via the German embassy to try 

and make home waters initially going 

north and then along the Norwegian 

coast. He took 165 tonnes of coal ex 

the ss LARACHE, replenished provisions 

and strengthened his crew by signing 

on two ordinary seamen, one coal 

trimmer, one engineer and one workaway. 

The conditions of the lifeboats 

necessitated overhauling and delayed 

the departure which eventually took 

place on 25 October when ss HUGO 

OLDENDORFF sailed after sunset, without 

pilot assistance and without 

having been cleared. 

A make-shift camouflage was quickly 

accomplished: the funnelmark was 

deleted and the ship’s name re-painted 

into OLENDO BECK, none of which 

would have stood up to a proper 

check by the enemies. 

The initial part of the voyage 

remained uneventful except for a 

minor damage to the boiler which 

was repaired on board. Subsequently 

the wind increased and the vessel 

kept shipping green water. A fracture 

of the steering rods forced the ship to 

heave-to. She continued at half speed 

due to strong winds. While the engine

had to be immobilized owing to unavoidable 

repairs to the superheater, 

the wind increased to gale force. 

Heavy seas smashed the No. 3 hatchcovers 

admitting large quantities of 

water into the hold. 

The ship had to heave-to once again 

but the storm abated somewhat. 

Damage to a condenser enforced yet 

another engine stoppage. The 

25 years old ship was really taken to 

task, as was the crew who in addition 

had to maintain constant and keen 

lookout. Not only did the ship sustain 

weather damage, but moreover her 

navigation was impaired when the 

patent log broke. Iceland came into 

sight on 13 November and a 

snow-covered mountain could be 

made out at a distance of about 50 

nautical miles. A light was sighted on 

14 November but could not be identified 

owing to totally inadequate 

charts. Having dropped anchor the 

master realized that he had reached 

Hvammas Fjord. The ship proceeded 

to Reykjavik assisted by a pilot and 

berthed at 5:20 p.m. The authorities 

proved to be very friendly and the 

new arrival was immediately taken 

care of by Dr. Gerlach, the German 

consul. 

The ship left Iceland on 24 November 

having bunkered 222 tonnes of coal. 

The master intended to attempt a 

breakthrough south of the island but 

had to heave-to due to bad weather. 

Captain Bohnhoff then proceeded on 

a westerly course, simulating a breakthrough 

towards the Denmark Strait. 

Heavy weather continued until the 

30 November. Occasional engine and 

condensator repairs enforced further 

stoppages. Meanwhile, course had 

been altered towards the Norwegian 

coast. Once the weather improved 

Captain Bohnhoff made for 

Kristiansand, dropping anchor there 

on 5 December, and finally arrived at 

Stettin ten days later. The homeward 

voyage of this veteran steamer 

deserves to be singled out as an 

outstanding achievement. As a small 

steamer she was not really suited for 

such a long haul but she had 

successfully completed the voyage 

which demanded the utmost of her 

crew and her engine. The ss HUGO 

OLDENDORFF continued performing 

faithfully until the end of the war.” 

45

46 

◆ 

The Many 

Victims of 

War 

◆ 

Luck was not on the side of ss HEN- 

NING OLDENDORFF. She had left Huelva 

bound for Germany on 2 November 

1939 with a cargo of 5,574 tonnes of 

pyrites. When she attempted to break 

through between Faroe and Iceland 

she was intercepted by the British 

cruiser, HMS COLOMBO, in position 

63.00N 10.12W and ordered to 

proceed to Kirkwall. She arrived 

there on 20 November 1939 and a 

few months later served as the EMPIRE 

INDUSTRY under the auspices of the 

British Ministry of Shipping. The 

steamer’s career terminated on 16 

March 1941 when, on a ballast 

voyage from Hartlepool to Galveston, 

she was sunk off New Foundland by 

gunfire from the German battle 

cruiser GNEISENAU. 

HENNING OLDENDORFF (1) was not to be 

the only war casualty of the EO fleet. 

The ERNA OLDENDORFF sank on 9 September 

1941 after a collision with 

prize tanker BENNO, managed by 

Atlantic Rhederei F.& W.Joch of Hamburg. 

KLAUS OLDENDORFF whilst on a 

voyage from Reval to Helsinki, struck 

a mine laid by a Russian submarine 

in the Gulf of Finland. Her total complement 

was lost. Other Oldendorff 

ships were affected by the war, but 

luckily without any more losses of 

lives. The ss LUDOLF OLDENDORFF which 

had busted the blockade sank on 

9 October 1944 in a British bomb raid. 

Prizes partly compensated the company 

for war losses. The Concise Oxford 

Dictionary defines a prize as a “ship, 

property, captured at sea in virtue of 

rights of war.” The Oxford Companion 

to Ships and the Sea explains that 

“... in its strict and original legal 

definition, prize in Britain is entirely 

a right of the Crown, and no man 

may share in prize except through the 

gift of the Crown.” The German 

government allocated to Egon 

Oldendorff on 17 June 1941 the 

former Swedish ss AXEL (2,300 tdw) 

and also in 1941, the ex-Latvian 

ss WALTER (3,444 tdw), followed on 

31 January 1942 by the ss FISCHHAUSEN 

(1,900 tdw) of Estonian origin and on 

8 February 1942 by the ss SIGNAL 

(4,700 tdw) built 1923 in Caen/France.

ss FISCHHAUSEN, ex-Latvian ss TAAT, 

managing owner Egon Oldendorff. 

(Collection Tomas Johannesson) 

Also managed by Egon Oldendorff, French ss CAPITAINE LE BASTARD was renamed SIGNAL in 1940. (Collection Theodor F. Siersdorfer) 

47

48 

ss DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (1) 

18) DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1940-1942 

DRFE – cargo steamship – 1865 

GRT/2985 tdw 

80.50 m registered length, 13 m 




March 1917 completed by 

Lindholmens M/V, Stockholm 

(No. 431) as ANTEN for Förenede 

Ångfartygs AB Viking, Gothenburg 

(SWE), J. M. Dannberg appointed 

as manager. 1918 G. Carlsson 

appointed as manager. 1920 sold 

to Rederi A/B Svenska Lloyd, 

Gothenborg, renamed MONGOLIA. 

1927 sold to A/B Songvaar, 

Christiansand (NOR), T. Isaksen 

appointed as manager, renamed 

SONGDAL. 1936 sold to A/S 

Songdal, Christiansand (NOR), 

Joh. Gerrard jr. appointed as 

manager. 1939 sold to Höyrylaiva 

O/Y Uskö, Rauma (FIN), J. N. 

Nurminen O/Y appointed as 

managers, renamed USKÖ. 

9.4.1940 at Bergen with general 

cargo bound for London declared 

a prize by Kommandantur für 

Seeverteidigung. 10.5.1940 left 

Bergen, sailed to Hamburg via 

Stavanger. 22.5.1940 Admiral der 

KMD comfirmed condemnation as 

a lawful prize. 21.7.1940 assigned 

to Egon Oldendorff by Reichsministerium 

SBV. Purchased by 

Egon Oldendorff for 105.600 RM, 

renamed DIETRICH OLDENDORFF. 

2.6.1942 after being hit by bombs 

and torpedos, beached 2 nm off 

Egeroy/N. 3.6.1942 made tight 

and refloated. 17.12.1942 returned 

to Deutsches Reich. 21.12.1941 

returned to Finland, registered as 

USKÖ for Suomen Valtio, Helsinki 

(FIN), John Nurminen again 

manager. 17.8.1944 heavily 

damaged by bombs at Stettin. 

16.10.1944 at Stettin again seized 

by KMD, 17.10.1944 handed over 

to Egon Oldendorff. 23.12.1944 

raised by Marine-Bergungs- u. 

Seedienst and repairs ordered. 

15.3.1945 declared as a prize by 

KMD Stettin, 27.4.1945 confirmed 

by Prisenhof Hamburg. No further 

details available about vessel’s 

fate following Stettin’s occupation 

by the Russians. Later reported to 

be in the Leningrad/Kronstadt 

area.

ss FISCHHAUSEN as the Swedish OTIS (Collection Tomas Johannesson) 

19) FISCHHAUSEN – 1942-1943 

DKHJ – cargo steamship – 1307 

GRT/1900 tdw 



expansion engine, 600 HP, made 

by the shipbuilders 

December 1880 completed by 

Palmer’s Shipbuilding & Iron Co. 

Ltd., Newcastle (No. 432) as MARIE 

for Burdick & Cook, London (GBR). 

1890 sold to K. O. F. Dalman, 

Gothenburg (SWE), renamed 

OTIS. 1891 sold to Ångf. A/B Ibis, 

Gothenburg, K. O. F. Dalman, 

Gothenburg now managers. 1908 

sold to Förenede Ångf. A/B Viking, 

Gothenburg (SWE), K. O. F. Dalman 

appointed as manager. 1912 J. M. 

Dannberg appointed as manager. 

1916 sold to Rederi A/B Otis, 

Gothenburg (SWE), J. M. Dannberg 

remained manager. 1920 

sold to Rederi AB Ätran, Gothenburg 

(SWE), F. Hultman appointed 

as manager. 1921 port of registry 

Falkenberg (SWE). 1922 sold to 

Rederi A/B Inga, Falkenberg 

(SWE), F. Hultman remained 

manager. 1924 port of registry 

Gothenburg (SWE). 1933 sold for 

1000 Pounds Sterling to K. Kranfeldt 

& Co., Tallin (EST), renamed 

TAAT. 1934 sold to A. Jürgenthal, 

N. Schröder, A. Saarna, R. Sergo & 

O. Vesterbusch, Haapsalu (EST), 

A. Jürgenthal appointed as 

manager who became sole owner 

in 1940. 10.4.1940 with a cargo of 

timber at Bergen (voyage Gothenburg 

for London) declared as a 

prize by Kommandant für Seeverteidigung, 

Bergen, and shifted 

to Hamburg. 10.9.1940 formally 

declared as a prize by Admiral 

KMD at outbreak of hostilities 

with Russia, Leth & Co, Hamburg 

(DEU), appointed as managing 

owners. 18.2.1941 under German- 

Russian secret treaty the ship was 

delivered to the USSR. The ship 

remained unmanned at Hamburg. 

Being a Russian ship, again 

declared a prize 28.6.1941. 

23.12.1941 prize confirmed by 

Prisenhof Hamburg. In service as 

a supply ship for the Kriegsmarine. 

As from 11.1.1942 in service 

as research vessel and assistant 

icebreaker for Marineobservatorium 

Greifswald. 31.1.1942 transferred 

to Kriegsmarine, Egon 

Oldendorff appointed as manager. 

20.2.1942 registered at Hamburg 

(DEU) as FISCHHAUSEN. 11.9.1942 

released from Kriegsmarine 

service. 23.12.1942 comissioned 

by Egon Oldendorff, annual hire 

45.790 RM. 11.9.1943 transferred 

to Karl Gross of Brake (DEU), 

renamed GERTRUD OHLROGGE, 

in exchange for WALTER (see 

No. 22) . 16.9.1943 registered at 

Brake. 9.5.1945 in damaged 

condition at Fredericia (DNK). 

25.6.1945 allocated to Great 

Britain. 1945 Ministry of Transport, 

London (GBR). 27.11.1945 at 

Hamburg. 1947 renamed TAAT, 

Springwell Shipping Co. Ltd., 

London, appointed as managers. 

1951 sold to Cia. Maritima Tees 

SA, Panama (PAN), renamed 

WEAR. 1.9.1952 arrived at Blyth to 

be demolished by Hughes, 

Bickow Ltd. 

49

50 

19) SIGNAL – 1941-1945 

DYAM – cargo steamship – 3138 

GRT/4700 tdw 

95 m registered length, 14 m 



made by Schneider & Co., Le 

Havre, 14 knots 

21) AXEL – 1941-1944 – DRFC 

cargo steamship – 1540 GRT/2300 

tdw 



expansion engine, 560 HP, made 

by T. Richardson & Sons, Hartlepool 

April 1878 completed by Wm. 

Gray & Co., West Hartlepool (No. 

182) as WILTON for G. Payman & 

Co., West Hartlepool (GBR). April 

1895 beached and sunk, later 

salvaged and repaired. 1897 sold 

to Bergnings & Dykeri A/B 

22) WALTER – 1941 -1944 

DOXD – cargo steamship – 2301 

GRT/3444 tdw 




made by Blair & Co. Ltd., Stockton 

Built 1923 by Chantier Navale 

Française, Caën (No. 18) as 

CAPITAINE LE BASTARD for French 

Government. 1925 Soc. Mar. de 

Transport & d’Affrêtement, Le 

Havre (FRA), appointed as 

managers. 24.6.1940 at Nantes 

seized by Deutsches Reich. 1940 

intended use as a transporter for 

Operation ‘Seelöwe’ in 

‘Bottenhavet’, Stockholm (SWE). 

1898 sold to Rederi A/B Disa 

(SWE), O. A. Brodin appointed as 

manager. 1912 registered at Gefle, 

E. Brodin appointed as manager. 

1916 registered at Stockholm (SWE), 

G. Brodin appointed as manager. 

1932 sold to Rederi A/B Box, 

Stockholm (SWE), G. Brodin 

remained manager. 1936 E. Brodin 


to Torsten Carlblohm, Stockholm 

(SWE), renamed UTLÄNGEN. 1939 

sold to Rederi AB Edda, Stockholm 

(SWE), Arnold de Champs 

March 1890 completed by T. Turnbull 

& Son, Withby (No. 114) as 

FAIRMED for T. Turnbull & Son, 

Withby (GBR). 1912 sold to Thos. 

Turnbull & Son Shipping Co. Ltd., 

Withby (GBR). 1915 sold to 

P. Dannebergs, Riga, renamed 

VELTA. 1920 nationality changed to 

Latvian. 1940 transferred to Staatliche 

Lettische Seeschiffahrt, 

Riga (RUS) . 17.12.1940 

repairs completed at Naval Ship- 

Dampfergruppe Nantes (24.8.1940), 

September 1940 used as transport 

vessel ‘A3N’. 19.12.1940 taken as 

a prize by Prisenhof Hamburg. 

Paulsen & Ivers, Kiel (DEU), 

appointed as managing owners 

by Reichskommissar für Seeschiffahrt 

in January 1941, renamed 

SIGNAL. 8.2.1941 Egon Oldendorff, 

appointed as manager, renamed 

EDDA. 20.4.1940 with a cargo of 

cellulose at Haugesund (voyage 

from Uddevalla to Grimsby) 

seized and declared as a prize, 

ordered to proceed to Hamburg. 

7.6.1940 prize confirmed by 

Admiral KMD Hamburg. 10.6.1940 

Leth & Co appointed as managing 

owners. 1940 transferred to 

Reichskommissar Prisenhof Hamburg, 

KMD Hamburg (DEU), 

7.8.1940 sold by Reichskommissar 

für Seeschiffahrt to Hugo Köster 

of Warnemünde (DEU) for 14,000 

yard Tosmare, Libau. 5.7.1941 

seized at Libau by Deutsches 

Reich, 15.8.1942 registered at 

Bremen Karl Gross, appointed as 

manager, renamed WALTER. May 

1943 ownership transferred from 

Kriegsmarine to Ministerium für 

die besetzten Ostgebiete. 

11.9.1943 Karl Gross changing 

the management of WALTER via 

Schiffahrtsbevollmächtigten of 

Stettin against management FISCH- 

HAUSEN. Managed by Egon Olden- 

Lübeck (DEU), appointed as 

managing owner. 9.7.1941 in 

terms of a German-French treaty 

ship formally became German 

property. 4.6.1945 at Blohm & 

Voss in damaged condition. 1949 

still aground at Hamburg, later 

salvaged and scrapped. 

RM. 23.10.1940 renamed AXEL and 

registered at Lübeck (DEU). 

17.6.1941 transferred to Hugo 

Köster, Egon Oldendorff u. Chas. 

E. Turnbull & Jacobs, Lübeck 

(DEU), Egon Oldendorff appointed 

as manager. 10.8.1941 to the 

Kriegsmarine as experimental 

vessel for minefusing equipment. 

24.7.1944 at Kiel/Deutsche Werke 

AG sunk by bombs. The wreck 

was sold in June 1952 to Eisenverwertungs 

Gesellschaft H. Gross 

& Co. at Hamburg for demolition. 

dorff as WALTER with homeport 

Bremen (DEU). 17.10.1944 ship 

grounded near Tananger/Midtfjära 

(Feistein) having left Stavanger on 

a voyage from Bergen with ore. 

18./19.11. 1944 abandoned by 

crew, the ship became a total 

loss. 1.11.1944 taken as a good 

prize by Prisenhof Berlin.

Egon Oldendorff was managing owner, for two months in 1941, of former British resp. Swedish ss WILTON (Collection Tomas Johannesson) 

Before the war the WALTER, then named VELTA, was part of the small Latvian merchant fleet. (Collection Theodor F. Siersdorfer) 

ss GENERAL DRAGOMIROW in the background. 

51

52 

◆ 

Ships Under 

Government 

Supervision 

◆ 

Ownership of the prizes rested with 

the German Reich with Egon Oldendorff 

acting as managing owner in 

accordance with the terms of prize 

contracts. All German shipowners 

came under the instructions of the 

Reich Ministry of Shipping or its 

subordinate authorities. When Great 

Britain entered the war the majority 

of German-controlled tonnage was 

restricted to trading in the Baltic, on 

precisely defined routes in the North 

Sea and along the Norwegian coast. 

Ferrying supplies to German troops, 

such as provisions, bunkers and other 

fuels as well as military goods was 

given high priority, as was feeding 

German industry with raw materials 

including iron ore from Lulea and 

Narvik. Commercial trampship operations 

were strictly limited to the areas 

mentioned but increasingly became 

subject to further restrictions and 

obstructions as the war continued. 

Dry cargo ships serving the German 

armed forces would normally sail with 

only a fraction of their space or weight 

capacities utilized, conspicuous normally 

by their high freeboard. On the 

other hand, coal and ore carriers 

would be loaded down to their marks. 

As war went on, most ships flying 

the Reich duty flag or the national 

flag were retrofitted with anti-aircraft 

armament ranging from light infantry 

machine guns to 4 cm anti-aircraft 

guns. Crude platforms made of wooden 

beams and boards gradually gave 

way to properly designed anti-aircraft 

gun positions, as did the sandbags 

used to protect bridges, to armoured 

steel plates. Ships carrying essential 

cargoes would sail in protected 

convoys. 

Camouflage painting swept through 

the shipping world from 1940 and 

sometimes even created artistic 

impressions. Effective at sea level it 

proved almost useless against air 

reconnaissance. Ship bows and sterns 

painted white became invisible given 

certain lighting conditions and when 

observed in the horizontal plane, by 

making the ship appear shorter and 

distorted. Certain colour schemes 

such as a greyish brown resembling 

rocks helped ships to hide in Norwegian 

fjords but as paints became 

scarce towards the end of of the war 

the practice was eventually given up.

From 1941 onwards fewer prizes 

were made and owners could no 

longer hope for compensation from 

that source. German tonnage losses 

mounted as war continued and 

territory was lost. The acute shortage 

of tonnage led to the initiation of what 

became known as the ‘Hansa’ series 

newbuilding programme. Eight shipping 

companies founded, and took 

shares in, Schiffahrt Treuhand GmbH, 

the company responsible for the 

programme. Shipowners who had 

suffered tonnage losses would be 

allocated newbuildings according to 

a certain ratio but until the time the 

ship was completed and physically 

delivered they never knew which 

ship was being built for them and at 

which yard, meaning that the future 

owners could not influence the 

design of the vessels. 

Three types of dry cargo ships of 

3,000, 5,000 and 9,000 tdw each had 

been designed for this series newbuilding 

programme, as also three 

types of tugs of 350, 600 and 1,000 

HP. Not one tug was completed by 

D Day, but of a total of 128 Hansa 

ships, 58 had been commissioned 

before the war ended, including 52 

of the small ‘Hansa A’ version. Egon 

Oldendorff was allocated a vessel 

constructed by Burmeister & Wain, 

yard number 644. Foreign shipyards 

in countries under German occupancy 

took a considerable share of the 

scheme. The vessel of 61.3m length 

had been launched at Copenhagen 

on 6 January 1944 but was scuttled at 

the fitting-out berth on 14 September 

of that year as a result of an act of 

sabotage. The ship was raised on 

24 September 1944 and towed to 

Lübecker Flender Werft for completion. 

Having been delivered, in Lübeck, 

on 10 January 1945, IRENE OLDENDORFF 

performed a limited number of 

voyages in the Baltic Sea and took 

part in the major rescue operation in 

which altogether 1,081 ships carried 

a total of 2,401,387 people from the 

former eastern Reich territories to 

safety in the West. In early May 1945 

the steamer, painted in a light grey 

and without a funnel mark, was 

confiscated by the British in Lübeck 

and subsequently traded as the EM- 

PIRE CONTEES, flying the British flag. 

She was to be the last freighter of 

this type to be scrapped in 1990, as 

the Polish GRYF, at Aliaga/Turkey. 

Egon Oldendorff lost the fairly 

new IRENE OLDENDORFF and three 

other vessels: back in August 1944 

the NORDFELS had been declared a 

prize when the Allies conquered 

La Rochelle; DORA OLDENDORFF, in 

Flensburg when the war ended, was 

handed over to Great Britain, in Hull, 

on 13 October 1945, whilst HUGO 

OLDENDORFF was confiscated in 

Lübeck, also by the British, in May 

1945. Both ships were eventually 

scuttled, in 1946, with cargoes of 

war gas ammunition. 

53

54 

23) IRENE OLDENDORFF (1) – 1945 

DRFW – cargo steamship (Hansa 

A standard type) 1923 GRT/3800 tdw 

85,27 m registered length, 13,53 m 

breadth, 8,20 m depth 

double-compound engine, 1200 HP, 


6.1.1944 launched at Burmeister & 

Wain, Copenhagen (No. 677) as 

IRENE OLDENDORFF for Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck (DEU). 14.9.1944 

As the Polish training ship GRYF (Collection Eggert Hollatz) 

ss IRENE OLDENDORFF semi-submerged in September 1944. 

sunk due to sabotage at fittingout 

berth. 24.9.1944 salvaged and 

towed to Flender Werft AG., 

Lübeck. 10.11.1944 left drydock 

and completed repairs. 10.1.1945 

delivered to owners. May 1945 at 

Lübeck seized by Great Britain. 

10.10.1945 at Methil allocated to 

Great Britain, Ministry of Transport, 

London (GBR), renamed 

EMPIRE CONTEES, J. Constantine 

Steamship Line appointed as 

managers. 1946 transferred to 

USSR, renamed OMSK. 26.2.1946 

on voyage Middlesbrough – 

Szczecin and Russia. 1947 transferred 

to Zegluga Polska SA, 

Gdynia (POL), Gdynia America 

Shipping Lines Ltd., Gdynia, renamed 

OPOLE. 1951 sold to Polish 

Navy, renamed ZETEMPOWIEC, in 

service as a training vessel. 1957 

renamed GRYF. 22.6.1990 arrived 

at Aliaga to be demolished by 

Nigdeliler Hurdaceilik ve Makina 

Ticaret SA, which took place in 

July 1990. 

As BK5 at the Aliaga scrapping yard (Collection Theodor F. Siersdorfer)

◆ 

Two Ships, 

the Basis 

for a New Start 

◆ 

Egon Oldendorff had sold his three 

small steamers, the NORDKAP, NORDLAND 

and NORDSTERN, during the war. All 

three prizes, SIGNAL, AXEL and WALTER 

sank in 1944 and FISCHHAUSEN had to 

be delivered to Great Britain in 1945. 

This left Egon Oldendorff with the 

GISELA OLDENDORFF and the NORDMARK 

which, at 1,361 and 1,060 GRT, 

respectively, did not have to be 

surrendered to the Allies. The 

company had lost eight ships during 

the war and thereafter but still 

owned two vessels with which it 

could resume commercial activities, 

an enviable position compared with 

many other, mostly larger companies 

who had lost their entire fleets. 

Identified by a number issued by the 

Control Commission for Germany 

painted below the vessel’s name and 

flying the international flag ‘C’ in lieu 

of a national flag, the ships went 

back into service in 1947, closely 

regulated by the Allies and having 

been repaired to the extent possible 

in those days. People were determined 

to reconstruct, but implementation 

was quite another story. Not least 

because there existed several grey 

areas, and that included financing and 

the legal side of things since some 

authoritative body had to sanction 

reconstruction, but where exactly was 

that authority ? It was not unreasonable 

to expect government to assist 

since after all it had been government, 

albeit the previous one, that had 

waged the war. However the Allies 

who initially constituted government 

in an early decree banned German 

participation in deepsea shipping. 

They licenced short-range coastal 

shipping from 1946, but subject to 

a permission for each and every 

individual voyage. 

The Allies did not take long to ditch 

the plan whereby Germany was to be 

converted to a purely agricultural 

country. To restore commerce and 

industry meant the restitution of a 

functioning commercial system including 

ocean shipping as an integral 

part of foreign trade. What the Allies 

envisaged was a country with modest 

manufacturing facilities, decidedly 

below pre-war levels. That equated 

to a small and modest merchant fleet. 

55

56 

Launching of ss IRENE OLDENDORFF (2), Lübeck, 4 March 1950 (Photograph: Wolfgang Röhrig) 

A provincial government came into 

being in Schleswig-Holstein, and the 

German Shipowners’ Association 

informed its members in a circular 

letter in 1947 of those ships, mainly 

tugs and barges, which the Allies 

intended to return to Germans as 

managing owners. The association 

further announced the Allies’ permission 

for German owners to contract 

newbuildings, to come into force in 

1948. A decree issued by the Control 

Commission for Germany dated 26 

September 1948 listed the maximum 

permissible parameters applying to 

newbuildings for German account, 

i.e. 1,500 GRT, 12 knots maximum 

speed, derrick lifting capacity 

3 tonnes, steam propulsion, and 

bunker capacities limiting the sailing 

range to 2,000 nautical miles. Whilst 

this severely handicapped German 

shipping as a whole, trampship 

owner Egon Oldendorff found he 

could live with that since ordinary 

trampers more or less answered that 

description. 

Egon Oldendorff ordered, from 

Lübecker Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft, 

one ship of the so-called Potsdam 

series so dubbed after the headquarters 

of the Control Commission. 

It was the company’s second newbuilding 

and like the first she was 

named IRENE OLDENDORFF. She was the 

first post-war Oldendorff newbuilding 

with 1,494 GRT but not the first postwar 

addition to the fleet. Indeed, just 

before Christmas of 1949 the company 

had purchased two steamers from 

Folkebanken of Copenhagen which 

had had to repossess the ships from 

their financially troubled previous 

owners about one year after they 

took delivery of the ships. The two 

bargains began their new lives as the 

BIRTE OLDENDORFF (3,150 tdw) and the 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (3,360 tdw).

Fleet expansion continued unabated, 

even though second-hand tonnage 

was scarce. The world merchant fleet 

had suffered considerable losses, 

and at the same time world-wide 

reconstruction and the Korean War 

(1950/53), to the delight of shipowners, 

produced a veritable boom 

in terms of cargo flows and freight 

rate levels. This in turn pushed up 

the prices for newbuildings and for 

second-hand ships. Shipyard orderbooks 

kept filling. From this time 

onwards Egon Oldendorff adopted a 

two-pronged expansion strategy by 

ordering modern newbuildings and 

also through purchases of bargainpriced 

ships on the second-hand 

market. To an extent this policy is 

being pursued to date. At that time 

German owners were buyers, not 

sellers. Having found the right type 

of foreign-registered ship at the right 

price the German buyer had to apply 

to the Federal Government for an 

import licence and, slightly more 

difficult still, for the necessary 

foreign exchange. Egon Oldendorff 

would point out that his ships were 

working the international tramp 

ss BIRTE OLDENDORFF (1) (FotoFlite) 

57

58 

Lübeck, Untertrave. Far right: company headquarters until 1967. 

markets and thus contributed to 

German foreign exchange earnings. 

Another hurdle to be overcome but 

outside the buyers’ influence was the 

export licence of the sellers’ country 

of registry, the outcome of the procedure 

often resembling a lottery. Great 

Britain, having recently taken many 

German ships, was the most promising 

market for second-hand tonnage in 

those days, as were the Scandinavian 

countries which sold older vessels 

in return for modern German ships 

allocated to them through reparation 

proceedings. 

At 1,600 tdw the ss DIETRICH OLDENDORFF 

(2) was the smallest ship bought in 

the early fifties and only a fraction 

smaller than the TETE OLDENDORFF 

purchased in 1956. Several vessels 

exceeded 3,000 tdw and could trade 

world wide. The smaller size tramp 

steamer increasingly encountered a 

new type of competitor in the North 

and Baltic Seas: the shortsea motorship. 

The post-war (West)German 

coastline had shrunk. Sailships had 

lost out to rail and road in the short 

haul distribution trades. Shortsea 

shipping began searching for new 

markets and average ship sizes grew 

in the process. Deadweight capacities 

reached some 800 tonnes as early as 

in the fifties. With their measurement 

kept below the 500 GRT mark the 

modern ships needed smaller crews 

than the veteran steamers of identical 

cargo intake and gradually crowded 

them out of their established markets 

in the North and Baltic Seas. 

For almost a century the traditional 

tramp steamers characterized by their 

thin black funnels had faithfully 

carried cargoes of coal, grain, 

and timber from the North Sea into 

the Baltic, or vice versa, but neared 

the end of their useful lives, not least 

because of their coal-hungry engines 

and large crews. The 1950s witnessed 

a complete structural change of 

the European shortsea trade.

ss DORTHE OLDENDORFF (1) 

59

60 

24) BIRTE OLDENDORFF (1) – 1950- 

1963 

DKBF – cargo steamship – 1981 

GRT/3150 tdw – 116,670 cubicfeet 

grain 





Engineering Co. Ltd., Sunderland, 

9.5 knots 

25) DORTHE OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1950-1960 

DKBF – cargo steamship – 2082 

GRT/3360 tdw – 169.300 cubicfeet 

grain 





10.7.1909 launched. 

26) IRENE OLDENDORFF (2) – 1950- 

1951 

DKCB – cargo steamship – 1494 

GRT/3200 tdw 

27) KLAUS OLDENDORFF (2) – 1950- 

1961 

DKCS – cargo steamship – 3651 

GRT/ 6276 tdw – 346,410 cubicfeet 

grain 



22.7.1922 launched, 16.9.1922 

completed by Antwerp Engineering 

Co. SA., Hoboken (No. 80) 

as BELGIEN for D/S af 1922 A/S, 

Copenhagen (DNK), H. A. Christensen 

appointed as manager. 29.10. 

1925 sold to A/S Dansk Engelsk 

A/S, manager H. A. Christensen. 

27.6.1931 sold to H. A. Christensen. 

6.5.1940 seized by France in 

Port Lyautey, renamed SAINT 

28.8.1909 completed by Flensburger 

Schiffsbau-Gesellschaft, Flensburg 

(No. 291) as MINISTER HELLE- 

PUTTE for Cie. Belge Scandinave 

de Nav. à Vapeurs SA, Antwerp 

(BEL). 1912 sold to D/S af 1911, 

Copenhagen (DNK), H. A. Christensen 

appointed as manager, 

renamed ALF. 11.12.1916 sold to 

D/S Rödby Havn A/S (DNK), A. 

Andersen appointed as manager. 

14.7.1919 renamed BREMERSVOLD. 


breadth, 7.90 m depth, compound 

engine, 1250 HP, made by the 

shipbuilders 

4.3.1950 launched. 


made by NV Koniklijke Mij. ‘De 

Schelde’, Flushing, 9.5 knots 

September 1920 completed by 

A. Vuijk & Zonen Capelle (No. 457) 

as HILVERSUM for Stoomvaart Mij. 

GILBERT, Cie. de Nav. Paquet, 

Marseilles (FRA), appointed as 

managers. 4.10.1943 captured by 

the Allies. Placed under the 

control of Ministry of War Transport, 

London (GBR), T. L. Duff & 

Co. appointed as managers. 

November 1943 sunk at Port 

Lyautey, later salvaged. 1945 

returned to her Danish owners. 

5.7.1947 sold to Rederi Europa 

1.9.1923 sold to A/S Dansk Engelsk 

D/S, H. A. Christensen appointed 

as managers, renamed ALF. 

27.6.1931 sold to H. A. Christensen 

(DNK). 1940 placed under the 

control of Ministry of Shipping 

(effective May 1941, Ministry of 

War Transport), London (GBR), 

Thompson SS Co. Ltd., appointed 

as managers. May 1941 W. A. Souter 

& Co. Ltd. appointed as managers. 

25.4.1950 completed by Lübecker 

Maschinenbau Gesellschaft, 

Lübeck (No. 437) as IRENE OLDEN- 

DORFF for Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck 

(DEU). 31.12.1951 sank in heavy 

weather as result of shifting of cargo 

Oostzee, Amsterdam (NLD). 1932 

Vinke & Co. appointed as managers. 

1940 placed under the control 

of Ministry of Shipping (effective 

May 1941, Ministry of War Transport), 

London (GBR), H. Tyrer & 

Co. Ltd. appointed as managers. 

(DNK), A. Christensen appointed 

as manager. 30.8.1949 sold by 

auction to Folkebanken for Köbenhavn, 

Frederiksberg og Omegn, 

Copenhagen (DNK). 21.12.1949 

sold to Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck 

(DEU), 2.2.1950 renamed BIRTE 

OLDENDORFF. 20.2.1962 renamed 

NORDFELS. 18.3.1963 sold for 

demolition at Stavanger by 

Brödrene Anda. 

1945 re-delivered to owners. 

5.7.1947 sold to Rederiet Europa, 

Copenhagen (DNK), Alfred Christensen 

appointed as manager. 

30.8.1949 sold by auction to Folkebanken 

for Köbenhavn, Frederiksberg 

og Omegn. 21.12. 1949 sold 

to Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU), 

2.2.1950 renamed DORTHE OLDEN- 

DORFF. 18.10.1960 sold for demolition, 

10.12.1960 arrived at Gijon. 

of coke in position 53.28,27 N 

06.17,10 E about five miles off 

Hubert Gat/Borkum Island. 

Her crew of 22 was lost. Due to 

heavy silting vessel could not be 

salvaged from a depth of 22 m. 

1945 re-delivered to her owners. 

June 1950 sold to Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck (DEU), renamed 

KLAUS OLDENDORFF. 30.9.1960 sold 

for demolition and 10.1.1961 

arrived La Spezia.

ss BIRTE OLDENDORFF (1) (Fotowerkstatt Landungsbrücken) 

ss KLAUS OLDENDORFF (2) 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (1) (Photograph: Alfred Schneider) 

IRENE OLDENDORFF (Collection Theodor F. Siersdorfer) 

61

62 


1950-1954 

DKDP – cargo steamship – 

998 GRT/1600 tdw – 

254,250 cubicfeet grain 




made by Machienefabriek 

Kinderdijk, Kinderdijk, 9.5 knots 

March 1920 completed by NV 

‘Holland’ Scheepswerf & Mach. 

Handel, Hendrik Ido Ambacht 

as NYSTRAND for A/S Utsire, Skien 

(NOR), C. B. Nielsen appointed as 

manager. 1922 sold to A/S Djerv, 

Trondheim (NOR), Bachke & Co 


SIGRID. 1940 Wm. Coombs & Son 

in London appointed as managers. 

1945 re-delivered to her owners 

(NOR). 9.10.1950 sold to Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU), 

renamed DIETRICH OLDENDORFF. 

8.2.1954 sold to Paulsen & Ivers 

Schiffahrt & Kohlenhandels GmbH, 

Kiel (DEU), renamed SIGNAL. 

12.12.1957 laid up at Kiel. 19.9.1958 

sold for demolition by Alnwick 

Harmstorf, Lübeck, where arrived 

1.10.1958. 

ss DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (2) (Skyfotos)

ss HUGO OLDENDORFF (2) (Skyfotos) 

29) HUGO OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1951-1963 

DKDT – cargo steamship – 

1498 GRT/2300 tdw – 





made by Ross & Duncan, Glasgow, 

9.5 knots 

April 1917 completed by Murdoch 

& Murray Ltd., Port Glasgow (No. 

260) as GRANGETOWN for Harrisons, 

Sons & Co. Ltd., London (GBR). 

1918 sold to Town Line (London) 

Ltd., Harrisons, Sons & Co. Ltd. 

now managers. 1922 sold to E. T. 

Lindley, London (GBR), renamed 

GRANGEWOOD. 1925 sold to The 

Swanston Steamship Co. Ltd., 

Newcastle (GBR), W. Swanston & 

Sons appointed as managers. 

April 1936 sold to D/S A/S Altair, 

Bergen (NOR), renamed LIBRA, 

H. Östervold appointed as 

manager, renamed LIBRA. 1940 

placed under the control of 

Ministry of Shipping (effective 

May 1941, Ministry of War Transport), 

London (GBR), Chine 

Shipping Co., appointed as managers. 

1945 re-delivered to her 

owners. 1948 sold to D/S Neptun 

A/S, Oslo (NOR). 27.10.1950 


(DEU). 9.1.1951 renamed 

HUGO OLDENDORFF. 1.4.1963 sold 

for demolition to Jernshaven 

P. Bergsö & Son, Masnedö, which 

took place in third quarter of 1963. 

63

64 

ss HENNING OLDENDORFF in the Kiel Canal (Collection Holger May) 

31) ERNA OLDENDORFF (2) – 1952-1962 

DKBB – cargo steamship- 1965 

GRT/3312 tdw – 158,190 cubicfeet 

grain 




made by Arnhemsche Stoom Mij., 

Arnhem, 9 knots 

September 1916 completed by A. 

Vuijk & Zonen, Capelle (No. 447), 

as RIJN for NV Houtvaart, Rotterdam 

(NLD), Vinke & Co. appointed 

as managers. 22.8.1940 at Rotterdam-Rijnhaven 

declared a prize 

by Hafenüberwachungsstelle 

Rotterdam. 5.9.1940 back in trade, 

owners agree to trading in the 

German orbit, attended by Messrs. 

Oscar Ott, Almsinck & Hell Nachf. 

Hamburg. 3.9.1944 after completion 

of repairs at the yard of Crichton 

Vulkan, Helsinki, damaged and 

sunk through crew damaging 

pumps. 1946 salvaged, 10.1.1947 

arrived at Rotterdam in tow. 30.8. 

1948 back in service, Vinke & 

ss ERNA OLDENDORFF (2) 

30) HENNING OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1951-1962 

DKBM – cargo steamship – 

3771 GRT/6320 tdw – 





made by Thyssen & Co. AG., 

Mülheim, 10 knots 

May 1919 launched. September 

1920 completed by NV Scheepswerf 

Dordrecht, Dordrecht (No. 

30) as STAD ARNHEM for NV 

Stoomboot Mij. „Stad Arnhem“, 

Zonen appointed as managers. 


Lübeck (DEU),14.1.1952 renamed 

Rotterdam (NLD), Halcyon Lijn 


to NV Arnhemsche Scheepvaart 

Mij., Rotterdam (NLD). In 193. 

Halcyon Lijn appointed as 

managers. 1940 placed under the 

control of Ministry of Shipping, 

(effective May 1941, Ministy of 


Alexander Bros. appointed as 

managers. 1945 re-delivered to 

owners. 11.9.1951 sold to Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU), 27.9. 

1951 renamed HENNING OLDENDORFF. 

21.12.1961 sold for demolition by 

Brodospas. 6.1.1962 arrived at Split. 

ERNA OLDENDORFF. 21.12.1961 sold 

for demolition. 31.1.1962 arrived 

at Monfalcone.

◆ 

Different Ships 

for Different 

Cargoes 

◆ 

The types and composition of cargo 

offering also underwent changes. 

Coal is still being carried but mainly 

in much larger ships. Of course the 

timber trade is quite lively to this day 

but tramp vessels leaving the Baltic 

Sea with a full deck cargo of sawn 

timber have virtually disappeared. 

Pitprops had lost their market due to 

reduced European mining activities 

and modern techniques. The forest 

industry of Sweden and Finland no 

longer supplies raw material for 

paper manufacturing but exports 

finished products instead. Except 

during the rainy season Oldendorff 

vessels at times took northbound 

cargoes of groundnuts from Senegal, 

a much sought-after cargo for 

freighters in the 2,000-3,500 tdw 

bracket which had carried generals 

on the southbound leg. Typical 

loading ports would be Kaolack, 

some 75 miles beyond the bar and 

situated on what is misleadingly 

called Saloum River but is in fact an 

inlet resembling an estuary, as also 

Lyndiane and Ziguinchor on the river 

Casamance. Loading operations right 

into the 1950s were peculiar by 

European standards: native workers 

would carry the full bags by the 

headload, negotiating narrow wobbly 

gangplanks of which up to twenty 

would link ship with shore, and then 

bleed the contents into the hold, but 

occasionally ships would also load 

bagged groundnuts, at a maximum 

rate of 30 tonnes per gang per hour, 

later increasing to 50 t/h through the 

use of elevators. 

A number of second-hand ships of 

up to 10,000 tdw, popular in those 

days still unaffected by overage 

problems and ditto insurance (the 

latter came into being in the late 

sixties) earned the funds for modern 

newbuildings. The mv LUDOLF 

OLDENDORFF (2) of 4,650 tdw, 

delivered to Egon Oldendorff by 

Lübecker Maschinenbau-Gesellschaft 

on 2 December 1952, and her 

sistership DORA OLDENDORFF (2), 

delivered two years thereafter, had 

been designed as multi-purpose liner 

vessels and had a comparatively 

generous cubic capacity of 270,000 

cu ft each. They spent most of their 

time in the Oldendorff fleet 

timechartered to liner operators, 

often on period charters, but they 

also accepted voyage charters. 

Both ships frequently went up the 

St.Lawrence Seaway after it had been 

re-opened in 1959, and further into 

the Great Lakes. Between 1960 and 

1964 DORA OLDENDORFF performed no 

65

66 

fewer than 33 trips into the Great 

Lakes on timecharter to Canadian 

transport operators, Canadian Pacific, 

and up to 1967 LUDOLF OLDENDORFF 

completed 27 Great Lakes trips for 

the same charterers. Not only would 

the ships carry the CP funnel mark 

but at times their hulls would be 

painted CP white which made their 

appearance quite unique in the 

Oldendorff fleet. Linking Lakes 

Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie 

with the Atlantic Ocean via the 

St. Lawrence River, the Seaway 

affords direct access by deepsea 

vessels to important North American 

industrial centres averaging a height 

above sea level of 185.3 metres. Just 

Launching of LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (1). Attendands include Hans Lochmüller, Egon Oldendorff, 

Klaus Oldendorff, shipyard manager Schiml (at the microphone). 

under 150,000 vessels passed the 

locks in the period 1959 to 1984, but 

so far as general cargo is concerned 

the Seaway has gradually lost its 

former importance due to the impact 

of intermodal transport which has 

meanwhile conquered nearly 100 

percent of that trade. However, in 

the heydays of that international 

waterway Oldendorff freighters 

counted among its frequent users. 

The degree of technical innovation is 

reflected by an article in the Lübecker 

Nachrichten daily of 13 December 

1952 reporting on the commissioning 

of the mv LUDOLF OLDENDORFF: 

„When LMG shipyard director Schiml 

handed over, outside territorial waters, 

the newbuilding to her owner, the 

Lübeck shipping company had added 

to its fleet its tenth ship, and its first 

motorvessel. The LUDOLF OLDENDORFF 

did 15.9 knots in ballast condition. 

Her 2,700 HP two-stroke MAN diesel 

engine gives her a fully laden speed of 

up to 14 knots. Her modern equipment 

includes a Decca radar set, a ‘Telegon’ 

goniometer first introduced in 

1952 and a complete radio station, 

all supplied by DEBEG. The vessel has 

also been fitted with an echo sounder. 

The radar set pays for itself within 

three days of dense fog when the ship 

would otherwise be forced to idle, 

assuming a loss per fog-bound day of 

DM 10,000.“

mv LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (1) 

Launching Captain’s dayroom 

At sea 


1952-1970 

DKJU – cargo motorvessel – 2388 

GRT/4650 tdw – 270,139 

cubicfeet grain – 6 passengers 


breadth, 9 m depth 

one two-stroke diesel engine, 

2700 HP made by MAN AG, 

Augsburg, 13.5 knots 

4.10.1952 launched. 2.12.1952 

completed by Lübecker Maschinenbau 

Gesellschaft, Lübeck (No. 418) 

as LUDOLF OLDENDORFF for Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU). 2.12. 

1970 sold to Permapimar S. p. A. 

Soc. di Nav., Cagliari (ITA), renamed 

CAPITANO VITO. 1975 sold to Pausania 

S. p. A. di Navigazione, Cagliari 

(ITA), renamed MICHELE MAGLIONE. 

1977 sold to Österreichische 

Reederei AG, Vienna (AUT), 

renamed AUSTRIAN IMPORTER. 1980 

sold to Kariels SA, Panama (PAN), 

renamed NIGERIAN IMPORTER. 1981 

sold to Interlock Development 

SA, Panama (PAN), renamed 

COLIBRI I. 1981 sold to Cefallonian 

Sun Shipping Co. Ltd., Piraeus 

(GRC), Flandermar Shipping Co. 

SA. appointed as managers, renamed 

CEFALLONIAN SUN. 1984 sold 

to Mariana Shipping Co, Piraeus 

(GRC), 1985 Twodim Cia. Nav. 

SA. appointed as managers. 1988 

owner and country deleted in 

Lloyd’s Register. 18.2.1983 vessel 

mentioned last in Lloyd’s 

Shipping Index. Still listed in 

Lloyd’s Register 1994/95, but 

neither owner nor flag 

mentioned. 

67

68 

mv IMME OLDENDORFF (1) (Skyfotos) 

33) IMME OLDENDORFF (1) – 1953- 

1971 

DKKD – cargo motorship – 1670 

GRT/2712 tdw – 134,343 

cubicfeet grain 

34) CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1953-1963 

DOSG/DKKK/DJXD – cargo 

steamship – 4794 GRT/9600 tdw – 





made by D. Rowan & Co. Ltd., 

Glasgow, 10 knots 


breadth, 6.10 m depth – 

2 passengers 

two two-stroke diesel engines, 

1600 HP, made by MaK Maschinenbau 

Kiel AG, Kiel, 12.5 knots 

Ordered by Brynmor SS Co. Ltd.-, 

Swansea (GBR), Ambrose, Davies 

& Matthes Ltd. acted as managers. 

February 1937 purchased by 

Unterweser Reederei AG. 13.4.1937 

launched. 20.5.1937 completed as 

GINNHEIM for Unterweser Reederei 

AG., Bremen. 9.10.1943 sunk at 

Gotenhafen following bomb attack. 

13.10.1943 salvaged and repaired. 

May 1945 at Brunsbüttelkoog. 

14.6.1945 in Kiel Canal allocated to 

16.3.1953 launched. 26.6.1953 

completed by Schiffbau Ges. 

‘Unterweser’ AG., Bremerhaven 

(No. 359) as IMME OLDENDORFF 

for Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck 

(DEU). 1957 re-engined with 

Great Britain, Ministry of War Transport 

(effective 1945, Ministry of 

Transport), London (GBR), J. & J. 

Denholm Ltd. appointed as managers, 

renamed EMPIRE OUSE. 1946 

transferred to Dutch Government, 

The Hague (NLD), renamed EIND- 

HOVEN. 1947 sold to NV. Gebr. van 

Uden’s Scheepvaart en Agentur Mij., 

Rotterdam (NLD), renamed PARK- 

HAVEN. 28.9.1953 sold to Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU), renamed 

similar new engine. 14.4.1971 

sold to Antonio fu G. Coppola, 

Naples (ITA), renamed GIOVANNI 

COPPOLA. 1984 broken up by 

Acciaiere di Porto Nogaro at San 

Giorgio di Nogaro. 

CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF. 30.12.1958 

transferred to Hansa Sachwert Anlagen 

GmbH., Hamburg, port of 

registry Lübeck (DEU), Egon Oldendorff 

appointed manager. 14.12. 

1961 sold to Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck (DEU). 26.1.1963 struck a 

landing stage at Calais whilst on a 

voyage from Mäntyluoto to Calais. 

Repairs considered uneconomical, 

ship sold for demolition, arrived 

at El Ferrol on 27.2.1963.

ss CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF (1) 


1954 – 1963 

DKKW – cargo steamship – 

3172 GRT/5335 tdw – 





made by North Eastern Engineering 

Co. Ltd., Sunderland, 

9.5 knots 

March 1921 completed by 

Antwerp Engineering Co., 

Hoboken (No. 74) as WINSUM for 

Stoomvaart Mij. ‘Oostzee’ Amsterdam 

(NLD), Vinke & Co. 

appointed as managers. 1940 put 

under the control of Ministry of 

Shipping (effective May 1941, 

Ministry of War Transport), 

London (GBR), West Hartlepool 

Steam Navigation Co. Ltd., 

appointed as managers. 1945 

re-delivered to owners. 1948 

managers’ style changed to Vinke 

& Zonen. October 1953 sold to 


and handed over 17.1.1954. 

18.3.1954 renamed DIETRICH 

OLDENDORFF. 3.7.1963 left Hamburg 

for Bremerhaven, to be 

demolished by Eisen & Metall 

AG., Bremerhaven, which 

commenced in August 1963. 

ss DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (3) (Skyfotos) 

69

36) DORA OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1954-1970 

DKKY – cargo motorship – 

open/closed shelterdecker 

2330/3807 GRT – 4550/5955 tdw – 

270,139 cubicfeet grain – 

6 passengers 


breadth, 9 m depth 


2700 HP, made by MAN AG., 

Augsburg, 13.5 knots 

16.12.1953 launched. 27.2.1954, 

completed by Orenstein & Koppel 

& Lübecker Maschinenbau 

Gesellschaft, Lübeck (No. 467) as 

DORA OLDENDORFF for E. L. Oldendorff 

& Co. GmbH., Lübeck (DEU). 

16.12.1970 sold to Interocean 

Shipping Co. SA., Piraeus (GRC), 

renamed ANNA B. 1979 sold to 

Clarion Marine Co. SA., Piraeus 

(GRC), renamed CHRISOULA K. 

30.8.1981 stranded in position 

27.55 N/33.55 E near Ras Banas 

when on a voyage from Gallipoli 

to Jeddah and abandoned by crew. 

70 

The then shipboard soccer team 

with Captain Hans Heinrich 

Wearing charterers’ Canadian Pacific livery 

Egon Oldendorff (right) (Photograph: Wolfgang Röhrig) 

onboard DORA OLDENDORFF.

GRETKE OLDENDORFF (1) 

38) HILLE OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1956-1971 

DLCI – cargo motorship – 

1994 GRT/3345 tdw – 154,507 




two four-stroke diesel engines, 

made by MaK Maschinenbau Kiel 

AG., 2300 HP, 13 knots 

The ship’s sponsor, 

Mrs Helga Oldendorff 

8.3.1956 launched. 16.5.1956 completed 

by Schiffbau Gesellschaft 

‘Unterweser’, Bremerhaven, (No. 

380) as HILLE OLDENDORFF for 

Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck, port of 

37) GRETKE OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1955-1961 

DKAG – cargo steamship – 

1317 GRT/2015 tdw – 101,074 





made by Penn & Bauduin, 

Dordrecht, 9 knots 

April 1921 completed by NV. 

Scheepsbouw ‘Baanhoek’, 

Sliedrecht (No. 307) as ZAAN for 

NV Houtvaart, Rotterdam (NLD), 

registry Bremen (DEU). 11.2.1959 

registered at Lübeck. 25.7.1971 sold 

to Soc. Mediterranea Impr. Marit. 

‘Medima’ S. p. A., Palermo (ITA), 

renamed GABRIELE. 1978 sold to 

HILLE OLDENDORFF (1) was side-launched at Bremerhaven. 

HILLE OLDENDORFF (1) during sea trials. 

Vinke & Co. appointed as 

managers. 1940 J. Constantine SS 

Line Ltd. appointed as managers. 

1945 managers again Vinke & Co, 

1948 managers’ style changed to 

Vinke & Zonen. May 1955 sold to 


renamed GRETKE OLDENDORFF. 

18.10.1960 went aground near 

Jacobstad, refloated in October 

with slight damage, but repairs 

not economical. 8.11.1960 called 

at Hamburg to be demolished by 

Alnwick Harmstorf, Hamburg. 

Cia. Siciliana Trasporti Mare S. p. 

A. Cosimar, Palermo (ITA). 11.7. 

1986 demolished by G. Riccardi at 

Vado Ligure. 

71

72 

◆ 

Moving 

into a New 

Size Class 

◆ 

Commencing with the purchase from 

the Netherlands in 1953 of 9,600 tdw 

CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF the company 

entered a new size bracket which 

was rapidly expanded. Sistervessels 

EIBE OLDENDORFF and HINRICH OLDEN- 

DORFF, each of 10,780 tdw and 

584,000 cu ft, were taken delivery of 

from Flensburger Schiffbau Gesellschaft 

in 1956/57, followed by CATHA- 

RINA OLDENDORFF of 10,785/12,978 tdw 

as well as HELGA OLDENDORFF of 12,960/ 

15,265 tdw and her sister JOHANNA 

OLDENDORFF, built by Lübecker Flenderwerke 

in 1956 and 1958, respectively. 

The ships were tweendeckers and had 

ample cargo gear. Like all other Oldendorff 

newbuildings the ships had 

very well-appointed cabins accommodating 

up to 12 paying passengers. 

Freighters appealed to travellers not 

so much because they disliked luxury 

cruise liners and the strict dress regulations 

associated with them but 

because they preferred to see the 

world in a more relaxed manner. The 

ships had ample cargo handling gear 

that mostly included one heavylift 

derrick of 20, 30 or 50 tonnes lifting 

capacity. The twin measurements and 

deadweight capacities came as a result 

of the ship measurement rules valid 

at the time until the new rules came 

into force from the 18th July 1982. 

As of that day the new International 

Convention on Tonnage Measurement 

of Ships took the place of the 

former which had been in force for 

more than 100 years, and did away 

with the Gross Registered Ton. All 

ships worldwide are required to be 

measured according to the new rules 

upon expiry of the 12 year transitional 

period, i.e. from 19 July 1994. 

Open/closed shelterdeckers became 

popular in liner trades where the 

cubic capacity of a ship is more 

important than the deadweight cargo 

intake. Measurement in open shelterdeckers 

ignored the tweendeck 

space. This resulted in a ship having 

less freeboard, a lower deadweight 

capacity, and a lower GRT/NRT 

measurement. The cargo space 

remained identical in the same ship 

before and after conversion into a 

closed shelterdecker but the latter 

had a higher deadweight capacity, a 

deeper draft and a higher GRT/NRT 

measurement. Conversion from open 

to closed shelterdecker was a tedious 

business. Only one tonnage certificate 

was permitted to be carried on 

board at any one time, with the other 

one deposited at the German ship 

measurement authority in Hamburg

LUDOLF OLDENDORFF under timecharter to Norddeutscher Lloyd, at Cabedelo/Brazil, January 1967 (Photograph: Herbert Karting) 

which had to authorise the change 

of documents. Ships converting in 

overseas ports had to enlist the 

assistance of the nearest German 

consulate. As one of Egon Oldendorff’s 

shipmasters recalls: 

„On the next morning we sailed for 

Callao, the main Peruvian port. The 

ship completed discharge here and 

had to be converted from open to 

closed shelterdecker to suit the cargo 

composition of the next voyage, i.e. 

copper ore and generals in the lower 

holds being the lion’s share, and 

Colombian coffee for US and Eastern 

Canadian ports to go in the tweendecks. 

The boatswain was instructed 

to close the tonnage openings, valves 

and the trimming hatches. The Plimsoll 

mark had to be freshly painted, a 

Lloyd’s surveyor eventually issued the 

73

74 

necessary certificate which I took to 

the German embassy in Lima where I 

exchanged the open for the closed 

shelterdecker tonnage certificate sent 

there by the Hamburg authority.“ 

On a West Indies round voyage in 

charter to Dutch KNSM Koninklijke 

Nederlandsche Stoomboot 

Maatschappij, general cargo vessels 

such as the LUDOLF OLDENDORFF and 

DORA OLDENDORFF would make up to 

25 port calls, sometimes in and out 

within hours having discharged a 

few packages, but also spending 

several days in port handling cargo. 

Northbound cargo, be it to Europe or 

to North America, would in the main 

consist of products such as cocoa or 

coffee requiring carefully to be 

carried as exemplified by the case of 

coffee. This delicate commodity is 

easily contaminated by odours and 

must never be stowed together with 

other cargoes giving off odours of 

their own. Excessive heat also affects 

coffee meaning that it has to be kept 

away from calescent cargoes. 

Moisture and even humidity cause 

coffee beans to mould. Cargo spaces 

had to be perfectly clean and dry and 

would be protected against sweat 

water by dunnage mats laid out 

crosswise. The sides of the holds 

would be hung with jute or similar 

material pervious to air. Coffee 

requires ventilation in transit and 

accordingly stowage must provide for 

longitudinal and athwartships ventilation 

ditches, alternatively vertical 

trunks of 30 x 30cm all the way to 

the top tier of bags. Bagged potatoes 

and onions were likewise difficult to 

carry. They have retained their 

natural properties to the present but 

ocean carriage is much simplified by 

refrigerated containers with automatic 

temperature control. 

Egon Oldendorff did not neglect 

traditional tramping grounds such as 

the North and Baltic Seas and the 

Mediterranean. Shippers in the timber, 

coal, minerals and grain trades knew 

the Lübeck-based shipowner and his 

vessels. He ordered a 2,015 tdw 

specialized timber carrier from 

Schiffbau Gesellschaft Unterweser in 

1952, the IMME OLDENDORFF. The same 

builders delivered the HILLE OLDEN- 

DORFF in 1956, similar in appearance 

but having 3,345 tdw, and finally 

completed the trio with the 3,362 tdw 

ANNA OLDENDORFF. The geared 

motorships had their engines and 

superstructures aft and could take 

considerable deck loads, an 

important feature in the timber trade. 

The Oldendorff fleet kept increasing 

by one, two or three newbuildings 

per annum, gradually increasing in 

size, but older steamers would also 

be purchased, the last thereof from 

Hamburg-based coal traders and 

shipowners, Sauber & Co, built 1951 

in Lübeck as the HERMANN SAUBER and 

renamed the ILSABE OLDENDORFF. All 

further second-hand ships purchased 

were diesel-propelled units.

39) TETE OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1956-1965 

DKAL – cargo steamship – 

999 GRT/1565 tdw – 101,074 





made by Moss Vaerft A/S, Moss, 

9 knots 

40) EIBE OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1956-1974 

DKLA – cargo motorship – 

6057 GRT/10.780 tdw – 


8 passengers 



one two-stroke seven-cylinder 

diesel engine, 4200 HP, made 

by MAN AG., Augsburg, 

14 knots 

9.5.1956 launched. 5.7.1956 

completed by Flensburger Schiffsbau-Gesellschaft, 

Flensburg, 

as EIBE OLDENDORFF for Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU). 

22.6.1971 transferred to Wursata 

Shipping Co., Monrovia (LBR). 

11.7.1974 sold to Empire Shipping 

Co., Famagusta (CYP), 

renamed AURELIA. 1975 Dolphin 

Maritime Co., Limassol (CYP) 

appointed as managers, port of 

registry Limassol. 1978 sold to 

Olive Sea Shipping Co. SA. 

Piraeus (GRC), Dolphin Maritime 

remained managers. 27.7.1980 

arrived at Basrah and still there 

in 4/91. Since deleted from 

Lloyd’s Register. 

March 1918 completed by Holens 

Verksted, Larvik (No. 23) as TIRO 

for D/S A/S Gonwik, Sandefjord 

(NOR), H. A. Christensen appointed 

as manager. 17.2.1928 sold to Rederi 

A/B Ferlef, Stockholm (SWE), 

Anders Smith appointed as manager, 

renamed SVANGEN. 24.10.1955 


(DEU), renamed TETE OLDENDORFF. 

29.10.1965 arrived at Masnedö to be 

demolished by T. Bergsoe & Sons. 

mv EIBE OLDENDORFF in Welland Canal 

ss TETE OLDENDORFF 

75

76 

mv CATHARINA OLDENDORFF about to leave the river Trave on her handing-over trip 

41) CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1956-1971 

DJWA – cargo motorship – 


6130/8841 GRT – 10,785/12,978 

tdw – 620,077 cubic feet grain – 

1 heavy lift derrick of 50 t 

140.86 m length over all, 18.83 m 

beam on frames, 12.05 m depth 

to maindeck 

1 single-acting 2-stroke 8-cylinder 

diesel engine, 5340 HP, made by 

MAN, 14.5 knots 

8.5.1956 launched. 24.7.1956 

completed by Lübecker Flender 

Werke AG., Lübeck (No. 471) as 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF for E. L. 

Oldendorff & Co. GmbH., Lübeck 

(DEU). 15.6.1971 transferred to 

Westfalia Shipping Corp., Monrovia 

(LBR). 1974 sold to Vermala 

Shipping Enterprises Ltd., Piraeus 

(GRC), renamed GAY FIDELITY. 

1979 Lea Shipping Co. Ltd., 

Piraeus, appointed as managing 

owners. 8.3.1982 in position 26.40 

N/34.40 E southeast of Safaga in 

Red Sea a fire broke out in engine 

room when on a voyage from 

Bremen to Damman. Abandoned 

by crew, later taken in tow by 

Singapore MT SALVIVA. 21.3.1982 

arrived at Suez. 13.8.1982 handed 

over at Suez to Tartour Bros. 

Marine Works for demolition.

mv HINRICH OLDENDORFF on the lower Elbe (Photograph: Rolf Meinecke) 

42) HINRICH OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1956-1974 

DJWR – cargo motorship – 

shelterdecker 

6058 GRT/10,780 tdw – 584,500 




to main deck 

one single-acting two-stroke 


MAN AG, Augsburg, 14 knots 

21.7.1956 launched. 12.9.1956 

completed by Flensburger Schiffs- 

bau Gesellschaft, Flensburg (No. 

562) as HINRICH OLDENDORFF for 

Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU). 



May 1974 sold to Iota Navigation 

Co., Ltd., Famagusta (CYP), 

renamed ALIARTOS. 1975 registered 

at Limassol (CYP) Dolphin Maritime 

Co. appointed as managers. 

1979 sold to Sea Traders SA & 

Eastern Maritime Enterprises SA, 

Piraeus (GRC). 1982 renamed 

OTIRA and transferred to 

Panamanian flag (PAN), Dolphin 

Maritime remained managers. 

1983 sold to Morzine Shipping 

Co. Ltd. Malta (MLT), renamed 

MICHAEL. 1984 sold to Harmony 

Shipping Co. S A., Valetta (MLT)), 

The vessel’s bridge 

renamed HARMONY, Intertrans 

Shipping Ltd. appointed as 

managers. 7.8.1984 sailed from 

Mokha, arrived 20.8.1984 at 

Sachana/India for demolition. 

Handling cargo 

77

78 

44) GEBE OLDENDORFF (1) / 

MAGNET (1) – 1957-1972 

DJXX – cargo steamship – 

singledecker 

1528 GRT/2463 tdw – 116,120 




one compound engine with 

exhaust turbine, 700 PS, made by 

the shipbuilders, 9.5 knots 

45) ANNA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1957-1971 

DJYI – cargo motorship – 

singledecker 

1995 GRT/3362 tdw – 154,507 


December 1940 completed by 

Porsgrunds Mek. Verksted, 

Porsgrund (No. 106) as DIONE 

for C. J. Reim, Porsgrunn (NOR). 

In 1945 Reichskommissar für 

Seeschiffahrt intended to seize the 

ship and to place her under the 

management of Aug. Bolten, Wm. 

Miller’s Nachf., Hamburg. 

11.4.1945 the ship capsized at 

Posrgrunn during a bomb raid. 

1949 sold to A/S Dione, 


beam on frames, 6.25 m depth to 

main deck 

one single-acting four-stroke 6cyl. 

diesel engine, 2300 HP, made 

by Henschel AG, Kassel, under 

licence of Pielstick, 13 knots 

43) JOBST OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1957-1963 

DJXT – cargo steamship – 2136 

GRT/3500 tdw – 174,064 




triple-expansion, 1220 HP engine, 

made by Arnhemsche Stoomslephelling 

Mij., Arnheim, 9.5 knots 

May 1928 launched. July 1928 

completed by A. Vuijk & Zonen, 

Capelle (No. 563) as LINGE for 

ss JOBST OLDENDORFF in the 

Holtenau lock (Kiel Canal) 

(Collection Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 

Porsgrunn (NOR), C. J. Reim 


to Skibs A/S Harstad & 

Skibsvedlikehold A/S, Harstad 

(NOR), H. A. Olsen appointed as 

managers, renamed ANGELINE. 

December 1956 sold to Egon 


25.2.1957 renamed GEBE 

OLDENDORFF. 1971 renamed 

MAGNET (2). 14.8.1972 sold 

17.1.1957 launched. 29.4.1957 

completed by Schiffbauges. ‘Unterweser’, 

Bremerhaven (No. 389) 

as ANNA OLDENDORFF for Egon 


7.4.1971 sold to Soc. Mediterranea 

Impr. Marittima ‘Medima’ S.p.A., 

Palermo (ITA), renamed CRISTOFORO. 

NV. Houtvaart, Vinke & Co., 

Rotterdam (NLD), appointed as 

managers. 1940 placed under the 

control of Ministry of Shipping 

(effective May 1941, Ministry of 


Lambert Bros. appointed as 

managers. 1945 re-delivered to 

owners. 1948 Vinke & Zonen 



(DEU), renamed JOBST OLDENDORFF. 

3.2.1963 beached near Taastrup. 

5.2.1963 salvaged and sold to 

German breakers. Resold to 

Pedersen & Ahlbeck, 

Copenhagen, where ship arrived 

on 25.2.1963. Demolition 

completed in April 1963. 

through Eckhardt & Co. at Hamburg 

to F. S. Christensen, Nakskov 

(DNK), renamed EBBA C. 

17.8.1972 laid up at Norresundby, 

temporarily used as a grain barge. 

March 1974 sold for demolition, 

5.4.1974 arrived in tow at 

Santander. 

20.4.1973 ran aground on Urgento 

Reef off Cape Santa Maria di 

Leuca 15 nm off Gallipoli when 

on a voyage from Taranto to 

Porto Marghera with steel coils. 

Broke into two and declared a 

total loss.

Busy times in Holtenau lock, late 1950s. ss GEBE OLDENDORFF moored starboard-to. (Photograph: Rolf Meinecke) 

mv ANNA OLDENDORFF (1) at San Carlos de la (Photograph: Herbert Karting) 

Rapido/Spain loading pyrites for Dordrecht with ship’s gear. 

46) HANS OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1957-1963 

DJFX – cargo steamship – 

2147 GRT/3500 tdw 



triple expansion engine, 1200 HP, 


Mij., Arnheim 


Vuijk & Zonen, Capelle (No. 545) 

as GOUWE for NV. Mij. Houtvaart, 

Rotterdam (NLD), Vinke & Co. 


taken as a prize at Rotterdam by 

Hafenüberwachungsstelle, Rotterdam, 

5.9.1940 back in trade, 

owners agree on 14.9.1940 to 

trading in the German orbit, 

attended by Messrs. Oscar Ott, 

Amsinck & Hell Nachf. Hamburg. 

Agreement on 21.9.1944 cancelled. 

27.3.1945 released by Prisenhof 

Hamburg for further trading 

under Dutch flag and supervision 

as above. 1945 delivered to 

owners. 1948 manager’s style 

changed to Vinke & Zonen. 


Lübeck (DEU), 6.6.1957 renamed 

HANS OLDENDORFF. 5.4.1962 

renamed NORDHEIM. 26.2.1963 

sailed from Venice for San Giorgio 

di Nogara for demolition. 

79

80 

ss HANS OLDENDORFF (1) (Skyfotos) 

46) HANS OLDENDORFF (1) – 1957- 

1963 

DJFX – cargo steamship – 

2147 GRT/3500 tdw 





Mij., Arnheim 


Vuijk & Zonen, Capelle (No. 545) 

as GOUWE for NV. Mij. Houtvaart, 

Rotterdam (NLD), Vinke & Co. 


taken as a prize at Rotterdam by 

Hafenüberwachungsstelle, Rotterdam 

5.9.1940 back in trade, 

owners agree on 14.9.1940 to 

trading in the German orbit, 

attended by Messrs. Oscar Ott, 

Amsinck & Hell Nachf. Hamburg. 

Agreement cancelled on 21.9.1944. 

27.3.1945 released by Prisenhof 

Hamburg for further trading 

under Dutch flag and supervision 

as above. 1945 re-delivered to 

owners. 1948 managers’ style 

changed to Vinke & Zonen. 


Lübeck (DEU), 6.6.1957 renamed 

HANS OLDENDORFF. 5.4.1962 

renamed NORDHEIM. 26.2.1963 

sailed from Venice for San Giorgio 

di Nogara for demolition.

47) HELGA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1958-1975 

DJZX – cargo motorship – 


6990/9962 GRT – 12,960/15,265 

tdw – 768,400 cubicfeet grain – 

1 derrick of 20 t – 8 passengers 



to main deck 



MAN, 14 knots 

1.4.1958 launched. 23.6.1958 


Werke AG, Lübeck, as HELGA 

OLDENDORFF for Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck (DEU). 15.6.1971 

transferred to Holsatia Shipping 

Co., Monrovia (LBR). 1975 sold 

to Panteleon Cia. Nav. SA, 

Piraeus (GRC), renamed ATHENAIS. 

1982 sold to Wanaka Shipping 

Inc., Panama (PAN), renamed 

WANAKA. 1982 sold to Already 

Shipping Co. Ltd., Valetta 

48) JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1958-1974 

DAKD – cargo motorship – open/ 

closed shelterdecker 

6987/9959 GRT- 12,960/15,265 


1 derrick of 20 t – 8 passengers 



to main deck 


diesel engine, made by MAN AG., 

Augsburg, 5340 HP, 14 knots 

mv HELGA OLDENDORFF (1) 

(MLT). 26.8.1982 arrived at 

Bombay for demolition, which 

commenced in October by 

J. M. Steel Traders, Darukhana/ 

Bombay. 

6.6.1958 launched. 23.8.1958 


Werke AG, Lübeck (No. 492) 

as JOHANNA OLDENDORFF for 

E. L. Oldendorff & Co. GmbH., 

Lübeck (DEU). 5.10.1971 

transferred to Westfalia Shipping 

Co., Monrovia (LBR). 29.11.1974 

sold to Thimi Cia. Nav. SA, 

Panama (PAN), renamed ASPIS. 

1982 sold to Tekapo Shipping 

Co. Inc., Panama (PAN), renamed 

TEKAPO. 23.11.1982 arrived at 

Busan for demolition by 

Se Houng Salvage Co. Ltd., 

which commenced 29.1.1983. 

mv JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (1) 

81

82 

◆ 

The First 

Bulk Carrier 

in 1958 

◆ 

Egon Oldendorff commissioned his 

first bulk carrier in 1958. Increased 

movements of bulk cargoes of all 

descriptions but mainly coal, grain 

and phosphates had stimulated the 

design of pure bulk carriers. Flensburger 

Schiffbau Gesellschaft was 

one of the leading shipbuilders in 

this field. This new category of merchant 

vessels had large unobstructed 

holds without tweendecks. 

Typically the ships were given high 

wing tanks and slanting hopper bilge 

tanks connected with the double 

bottom tanks. Basically the new bulk 

carriers were the modernized 

versions of the self- and easy 

trimmers designed by British 

shipbuilders just before the turn of 

Grab discharge. 

the century with the intention of 

making them more acceptable as 

colliers. The new ships offered two 

decisive advantages by having greater 

water ballast capacities. Worldwide 

flows of bulk cargoes are imbalanced 

and necessitate positioning voyages 

in ballast no matter how ships are 

deployed. With large tank capacities 

ships in ballast condition can reach 

the minimum draft required to 

submerge the propeller, and ballast

water in high wing tanks improves 

many a bulk carrier’s behaviour in a 

seaway. Engine room and 

superstructure aft made for a clear 

and unobstructed weather deck 

enabling shore equipment such as 

conveyor belts, suction pipes or 

shoots to operate freely. Additional 

ships followed as the lead vessel 

fully lived up to its owner’s 

expectations. At 15,400 tdw the 

MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF was a large 

ship at her time, overtaking the 

ubiquitous Liberty size vessel of 

which some 1,500 units were trading 

in those days. Of unsophisticated 

design and economical to run, the 

Liberty steamers, originally intended 

for short term war deployment, had 

survived World War II in numbers, 

and by size and construction came to 

be a class by themselves. Those ships 

not mothballed as the US Reserve 

Fleet were sold to liner and 

trampship operators and left their 

mark on the merchant marine of the 

fifties and sixties. Of the total 

number of 2,711 Liberty ships built, 

Bulk carrier MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF (1) discharging at Amsterdam 

910 had been sold to private 

interests. 810 thereof were trading 

in 1952 and as many as 636 in 

1965. Shipping statistics no longer 

mentioned these 10,000 tdw steamers 

from 1986 onwards. They held their 

own in liner services during the very 

early years of post-war reconstruction, 

thereafter making way for more 

efficient liner type vessels but 

quickly occupied the tramp trades, 

establishing themselves as the ideal 

size for the carriage of bulk commodities. 

Shippers adapted to the 10,000 

tdw ship and accordingly many 

newbuildings of this size were being 

built for cargoes ranging from coal to 

ores to grain to phosphates but also 

including timber and semi finished 

goods of all kinds. 

83

84 

mv MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF in a rough sea 

49) MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1958-1971 

DKAO – cargo motorship – 

gearless bulkcarrier 

10,661 GRT/15,400 tdw – 


10 passengers 




seven-cyl. diesel engine, made by 

MAN AG, Augsburg, 5340 HP, 

13.5 knots 

14.8.1958 launched, 21.10.1958 


Flensburg (No. 

573) as MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF for 


23.11.1971 sold in damaged condition 

(a fire broke out whilst vessel 

was drydocking at Bremerhaven) 

to O. H. Meling, Stavanger (NOR), 

renamed STAVFJORD. 1971 sold to 

I/S Stavfjord, Stavanger, O. H. 

Meling Rederi appointed as 

managers. 1977 sold to I/S Stade, 

Tönsberg (NOR), P. Thorvildsen 


to Ilmar Tuuli, Helsinki (FIN). 

1980 sold to Axios Shipping Co., 

Piraeus (GRC), Golden Union 

Shipping Co. SA appointed as 

managers, renamed FOUR FLAGS II. 

1988 sold to Volos I Shipping Co., 

Piraeus (GRC), Heracles Shipping 

SA., appointed as managers, 

renamed VOLOS I. 1994: 10.196 

GT. 1996 still trading.

50) ILSABE OLDENDORFF – 

1960-1969 

DHPY – cargo steamship – 

quarterdecker 

2619 GRT/3460 tdw – 180,059 




main deck 

double-compound engine with 

exhaust turbine, 1700 PS, made 

by the shipbuilders, 12 knots 

10.10.1951 launched. 1.12.1951 


Werke AG, Lübeck (No. 409) as 

HERMAN SAUBER for Sauber & Co., 

Hamburg (DEU). 16.2.1960 sold 

to Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck 

(DEU), 9.3. 1960 renamed ILSABE 

OLDENDORFF. 22.7.1969 sold to 


1961-1970 

DKMR – cargo motorship – 


7187/9991 GRT/12,492/14,834 

tdw – 785,906 cubic feet grain – 

1 derrick of 30 t, 11 passengers 



main deck 

Challenger Shipping Co., Monrovia 

(LBR), renamed CHALLENGER S. 

1975 sold to Aris Ltd. Piraeus, T. 

Zachariou Shipping Co. SA., 


KORMORANOS. 1978 renamed ARIS. 

27.1.1979 arrived at Venice and 

laid up. April 1981 sold for 

demolition there. 

ss ILSABE OLDENDORFF loading sawn timber at Archangelsk (Photograph: Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 

one single-acting two-stroke diesel 

engine, 7800 HP, made by De Schelde 

under Sulzer Licence, 16 knots 

Launched 10.10.1959 by Bijker’s 

AB Ysselwerf, Gorinchem (No. 

151). Ship was one of a series of 

ten identical vessels ordered by J. 

C. Carras, Chios (GRC) for the 

Shipping Development Co. Six 

ships were cancelled in September 

1959, two of the remaining 

ships had since been launched 

named with ARGOS prefixes. This 

ship launched nameless as fourth 

ship for account of the builders. 

Later towed to NV Kon. 

Maatschappij ‘De Schelde’, 

Flushing, for completion (No. 

298). 23.1.1961 sold to Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU), and 

named DORTHE OLDENDORFF. 3.4. 

1970 sold to Muhammadi 

Steamship Co. Ltd., Karachi 

(PAK), renamed AL KULSUM. 1978 

sold to Pakistan National Shipping 

Co., Karachi (PAK). 11.8.1983 

arrived at Karachi and laid up. 

6.12.1984 demolition commenced 

by M. Faroog at Gadani Beach. 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (2) (Photo: Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 

85

86 

Bulk carrier KLAUS OLDENDORFF (3) (Skyfotos) 

52) KLAUS OLDENDORFF (3) – 

1961-1974 

DAIR – cargo motorship – 


9981 GRT/14,675 tdw – 672,103 




to main deck 



MAN AG., Augsburg, 14.25 knots 

10.7.1958 launched. 7.10.1958 

completed by Rickmers Werft, 

Bremerhaven (No. 301) as WALTER 

LEONHARDT for Leonhardt & 

Blumberg, Hamburg (DEU). 

11.10.1960 sold to Egon 

Oldendorff, Hamburg (DEU), 

24.10.1960 registered at Lübeck. 

30.1.1961 renamed KLAUS 

OLDENDORFF. 2.6.1971 transferred 

to Rhenania Shipping Co., Monrovia 

(LBR). 17.6.1974 sold to 

Newstar Shipping Co., Monrovia 

(LBR), renamed OKAY. 1975 sold 

to Golden Co., Monrovia (LBR), 

renamed LIKE TWO. 1980 transferred 

to Panamanian (PAN) registry. 

17.8.1981 arrived at Corcubion 

and laid up. 28.2.1983 arrived at 

San Esteban de Pravia to be 

demolished by Desguaces Vige.

mv GRETKE OLDENDORFF (2) BIRTE OLDENDORFF (2) in the Kiel Canal. (Collection Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 


1961-1971 

DGFB – cargo motorship – 

quarterdecker 

1598 GRT/2460 tdw – 


87.76 m length over all, 12 m 


main deck 

two single-acting two-stroke 

diesel engines working on one 

shaft, 1800 HP, made by the 

shipbuilders, 12.5 knots 

16.10.1953 launched. 22.7.1953 

completed by Ottenser Eisenwerke 

AG, Abt. Schiffswerft, Hamburg 

(No. 457) as MARY ROBERT MÜLLER 

for Partenreederei, Robert Müller, 

Hamburg (DEU), appointed as 

managing owner. 1.12.1961 sold 

to Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU), 

but registered at Hamburg, renamed 

GRETKE OLDENDORFF. 4.12.1961 

registered at Lübeck. 8.11.1971 

sold to Landi & Co., Genoa (ITA), 

renamed FRANCESCA SECONDA. 1972 

sold to Fenicia di Nav. S. p. A., 

Cagliari (ITA). 1977 sold to Soc. 

Mare Amico S. p. A., Naples (ITA), 

renamed MARE AMICO. 1983 sold to 

Vipima S. p. A. di Navigazione 

SA, Naples (ITA). 5.7.1990 arrived 

at Naples to be broken up by 

Marnavi Cantieri Navale, which 

commenced 25.7.1990. 

54) BIRTE OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1962-1975 

DGVX – cargo motorship – 


8043/10,351 GRT – 12,770/15,450 


1 derrick of 30 t, 6 passengers 



maindeck 

one single-acting 8-cyl. diesel 

engine, 6650 HP, made by MAN 

AG, Augsburg, 14.7 knots 


by Blohm & Voss AG, Hamburg 

(No. 796) as MONTANIA for 

PR, Chr. F. Ahrenkiel, Hamburg 

(DEU), Chr. F. Ahrenkiel, Hamburg, 


sold to Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck, 

renamed BIRTE OLDENDORFF but 

registered at Hamburg. 28.6.1971 

transferred to Rhenania Shipping 

Co., Monrovia (LBR). 1975 sold to 

Clare Island Shipping Co. Ltd., 

Monrovia (LBR), renamed BOUBOU- 

LINA FAITH. 1979 sold to unknown 

owners, Piraeus (GRC). 1979 sold 

to A. Bacolitsas Cia. Nav. SA., 

Panama (PAN), renamed CONSTAN- 

TOULA BACOLITSAS. 1979 transferred 

to Constantoula Bacolitsas Shipping 

Co. 1981 sold to Seohung 

Salvage Co., Pusan, for demolition, 

which commenced 24.8.1981 at Dae 

Dong Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., Pusan. 

87

88 

◆ 

Four 

Singledeckers 

from 

Rendsburg 

◆ 

Werft Nobiskrug GmbH of Rendsburg 

delivered the CHRISTIANE OLDENDORFF 

(4,380 tdw) in 1962, the lead ship in 

a highly efficient series of four 

singledeckers earmarked for the 

conventional carriage of timber and 

bulk cargoes in European waters. 

To their surprise the shipbuilders 

discovered one of the many of their 

client’s little recipes for success: 

Egon Oldendorff had in the early 

sixties sold a number of his older 

steamers for scrapping which before 

handover he had stripped of the 

modern navigational aids and radio 

stations retrofitted at the time he 

purchased the ships on the secondhand 

market. That equipment he 

now took to the shipyard and made 

the builders install it in the newbuildings. 

Egon Oldendorff also 

bought the NORA HUGO STINNES, 

a singledecker of 4,280 tdw and 

207,000 cuft which ideally matched 

the new series but for its year of 

delivery, 1956. The ship was 

chartered back to her previous 

owners, Hugo Stinnes Transozean 

Schiffahrt GmbH and was renamed 

the HUGO OLDENDORFF (3) when that 

charter expired. JOBST OLDENDORFF, 

the last of the four ships built by 

Nobiskrug, was to be the last ‘small’ 

ship for Oldendorff. The ships, 

intended for European shortsea 

trading were also Great Lakes and 

Panama Canal fitted. All other 

Oldendorff ships to follow were 

larger and genuine deepsea type 

vessels. 

The German shipping journal 

Schiff & Hafen published an article 

in volume 10 of 1963: 

„The level of international freight 

rates forced owners to seek larger and 

more efficient ships. One of the effects 

of endeavours to rationalize trade, 

industry and transport is automation 

as a means of reducing the labour 

force, i.e. monitoring and control of 

equipment by automated devices. 

Marine engine automation can be 

defined as monitoring of equipment 

and its control and regulation at 

every operational condition through 

automated devices which if suitably 

connected with the various sections of 

the engine plant automatically 

initiate corrective action. The 

ultimate goal and the success of 

automation will have to be measured 

against the economical results 

achieved.

Automation may increase safety 

in operation but investments made 

have to be reasonably counterbalanced 

by cost reductions through 

cuts in the labour force.“ 

The impact of wages tended to 

increase in those years, and that 

was not confined to transport by 

sea, rail or road but extended to 

the generation of raw materials and to 

production processes. Management 

in high-wage regions such as the 

United States and Central Europe 

took a long and hard look at ways 

and means to reduce staff and, 

thereby, the wage element in 

overall production costs. The answer 

was rationalization, and that could 

take many forms. Alternatives 

available included larger manufacturing 

units served by an identical 

labour force or through partially 

automating production by wholly 

or partly replacing manual work 

or monitoring functions with 

machines or equipment. Actual 

developments were a great deal 

more diverse than described here 

with a broad brush but the opportunities 

offered by automation were 

wholly applicable to the ocean 

transportation of bulk commodities, 

the core of Egon Oldendorff’s shipowning 

operations from the very 

beginning. 

Delivered by Lübecker Flender-Werke 

on 3 March 1963, having successfully 

completed sea trials in the North Sea, 

30,500 tdw bulk carrier HENNING 

OLDENDORFF of just under 20,000 GRT 

was at once the yard’s largest newbuilding 

so far, the flag ship of the 

Oldendorff fleet and the largest ship 

in the Lübeck register. Her nine holds, 

odd numbers short, even numbers 

long, had a total capacity of 1.5 million 

cu ft. Bulkheads and structural 

members were dimensioned to permit 

carrying full capacity loads of 

ores and similar low-volume heavy 

cargoes in every second hold, 

namely in Nos. 1, 3, 5 and 7. The 

nine hatches were given single-pull 

type MacGregor steel covers activated 

by two 12-tonne dual-purpose 

hatch cover and mooring winches. 

Ballast capacity approximated 

21,500 tonnes. 

Egon Oldendorff took delivery of 

CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF four months 

later, that being the fourth of a series 

of which numbers two and three 

were built for other clients. She was 

the first German merchant ship to be 

equipped with remote engine room 

control, very much in line with cost 

reduction strategies discussed above. 

Her complement of about 30 was less 

than that of 10,000 tdw trampers built 

in the 1950s and about the same as 

the crew of bulk carrier MAGDALENA 

OLDENDORFF, six years her senior and 

half her size. So revolutionary 

appeared this novelty that the 

shipping editor of the Hamburger 

Abendblatt daily captioned: 

„Bridge Automation – 

Will the Bogy Man Take Over?“ 

Walter Döll continued to describe 

to his readers the new features of 

the ship: 

89

90 

„Here are the advantages of remote 

control: 

– no need for the officer on watch to 

repeat orders; 

– the engineer on watch can devote 

his undivided attention to engine 

monitoring and to maintenance 

work; 

– no more faulty manoeuvres; 

– engine gets gentler treatment. 

What is more, the automatic devices 

have a memory and record every 

order that has been issued. 

But automated shipboard operations 

have problems of their own. 

What may be good for a fully 

automated steel rolling plant does 

not necessarily apply to a ship. 

At sea there are no standardized 

and repetitious working cycles, 

pre-planned and automatically 

programmed to the last detail, 

as found in manufacturing plants. 

You can use a robot where its job 

can be schematized and expressed 

in a formula. A ship is exposed to 

winds, weather and currents which 

escape pre-planning. A ship-borne 

robot would constantly have to 

correct its own actions, and that 

defines the limits of shipboard 

automation. Yet, modern ship- 

CHRISTIANE OLDENDORFF at anchor, 

with a full cargo of pitprops 

building technology holds tremendous 

promises of relief for the future. 

Tomorrow’s seafarers will more 

than ever before be engineers 

requiring special courses in addition 

to nautical training, in such 

subjects as e.g. process engineering. 

Thought is even now being given 

to the question of whether watchstanding 

personnel should be relieved 

every two hours since nobody can 

expect an assistant engineer to 

spend several hours sitting in a 

sound-proofed control room 

watching a panel of flashing lamps. 

Shipowners, nautical colleges, trade 

unions and the ministry of transport 

face major tasks where automation is 

concerned. Shipowners will have to 

spend more money. Automated ships 

will exceed current investments by 

many millions and seagoing 

specialists are perfectly justified in 

demanding higher wages. This much 

is certain even now: never in automated 

shipping will a robot be given 

a master’s licence, nor will the bogy 

man be the only crew member.“

CHRISTIANE OLDENDORFF (Skyfotos) 

91

92 

55) CHRISTIANE OLDENDORFF – 

1962 – 1979 

DKMY – cargo motorship – 

geared singledecker 

2981 GRT/4380 tdw – 




to maindeck 

mv HANS OLDENDORFF (2) at Eleusis, Greece 

two single-acting 4-cylinder diesel 

engines,3000 HP, made by MAN 


14.2.1962 launched. 26.5.1962 

completed by Werft Nobiskrug 

GmbH, Lübeck (No. 628) as 

CHRISTIANE OLDENDORFF for Egon 



Shipping Co, Monrovia (LBR). 

1971 transferred to Singapore 

register (SGP). 1979 sold to Timber 

Coal Shipping Co., Panama (PAN), 

Intermar Shipmangement SA 


KATERINE. 1982 managers deleted 

from Lloyd’s Register. 1986 sold to 

Venus Shipping Co. (Pte.) Ltd. 

Colombo (Ce), Navi Wood S.a.R.L. 


TRANS WOOD. 1989 registered at 

Kingston (VCT). 1990 sold to 

Feroz Bebakar, Kingston (VCT), 

renamed TABUK. 1993 Life International 

Shipping Establishment 


to the Barkaat Shipping Services 

Establishment, Kingstown (VCT), 

renamed BARKAAT 107. 1995: 2997 

GT. 1996 still trading. 


1962-1980 

DKNA – cargo motorship – 


2983 GRT/4380 tdw – 215,824 




main deck 


engines, 3000 HP, made by MAN 



by Werft Nobiskrug GmbH, 

Rendsburg (No. 629) as HANS 


Lübeck (DEU). 14.6.1971 transferred 

to Rhenania Shipping Co., 

Monrovia (LBR). 1971 transferred 

to Singapore register (SGP). April 

1980 sold to Petrokan S. p. A., 

Ravenna (ITA), renamed LAMONE. 

17.6.1987 arrived at Porto Nogaro 

for demolishing, which 

commenced in December 1987 by 

Acciairie di Porto Nogaro.

57) NORA HUGO STINNES / 

HUGO OLDENDORFF (3) – 1962-1969 

DLBY – cargo motorship – geared 

singledecker 

2986 GRT/4280 tdw – 

207,450 cubicfeet – 2 passengers 

101 m length over all, 14.4 m 


quarterdeck 

two single-acting four-stroke 

6-cylinder diesel engines, 2300 

HP, made by MaK, Kiel, 13 knots 

17.12.1956 launched. 1.3.1956 

completed by Atlaswerke AG, 

Bremen (No. 390) as NORA HUGO 

STINNES for Hugo Stinnes Trans- 

58) ERNA OLDENDORFF (3) – 

1962-1980 

DKNB – cargo motorship – 

geared singledecker – 

4 passengers 

2983 GRT/4380 tdw – 




to main deck 


engines, 3000 HP, made by MAN 


16.8.1962 launched. 29.10.1962 


GmbH, Rendsburg (No. 630) as 

ERNA OLDENDORFF for Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck (DEU). 14.6.1972 


Co., Monrovia (LBR). 1972 registered 

in Singapore (SGP). April 

1980 sold to Rima Line Shipping 

Co. S.a.r.l., Tripoli (LBN), renamed 

RIMA G. 1983 transferred to Rima 

Shipping Co., Tripoli (LBN), 

General United Trading & Shipping 

Co. S.a.R.L. appointed as managers. 

ozean Schiffahrt GmbH., Bremen 

(DEU). 22.6.1962 sold to Egon 


19.8.1962 renamed HUGO OLDEN- 

DORFF. 9. 10.1964 registered Lübeck. 

11.6.1969 sold to Reederei H. 

Vith, Flensburg (DEU), renamed 

HOLNIS. 1970 transferred to Seereederei 

‘Holnis’ H. P. Vith & Co. 

KG., Bereederungs Alliance 

Flensburg GmbH, appointed as 

managers. 1972 transferred to 

‘Gisela Vennmann’ Shipping Co. 

Ltd., Famagusta (CYP). 1973 

transferred to H. P. Vith (Cyprus) 

Shipping Co. Ltd., Famagusta 

(CYP). 17.5.1974 sold to 

1992 Hind Maritime Enterprise 

S. A. appointed as managers. 

1994: 3060 GT. 1996 still trading. 

Candleford Shipping Co. Ltd. Famagusta 

(CYP), renamed SCALMIKE. 

1975 registered at Limassol (CYP). 

1976 renamed VALERIANA. 1979 

sold to Issa Navigation Co., Tripoli 

(LBN), renamed ISSA. In January 

1986 reported as broken up. 

mv HUGO OLDENDORFF (3) ex-NORA HUGO STINNES (Photograph: Gerhard Fiebiger) 

mv ERNA OLDENDORFF (3), a singledecker with raised quarter deck, in the Ghent Shipping Canal 

93

94 

Commissioning trip of bulk carrier HENNING OLDENDORFF (3) took place under most severe winter conditions in 1963. 

The Baltic Sea was completely frozen over, and only large ships could sail in the lower Baltic assisted by ice breakers 

59) HENNING OLDENDORFF (3) – 

1963-1983 

DKNE – cargo motorship – 


19,935 GRT/30,529 tdw – 

1,492,622 cubicfeet grain – 

12 passengers 



on single-acting two-stroke diesel 

engine, 10,500 HP, made by MAN 


26.10.1962 launched. 3.3.1963 


Werke AG., Lübeck (No. 535) as 

HENNING OLDENDORFF for Egon 




1983 sold to San Bernardino Co. 

Inc., Monrovia (LBR), renamed 

CREATOR. 1984 renamed ALAMO I. 

3.3.1985 sailed from Kagoshima 

to Yantai for demolition in the 

The People’s Republic of China.

mv JOBST OLDENDORFF (2) with the later grey hull painting 


1963-1980 

DKNG – cargo motorship – 

geared singledecker – 

4 passengers 

2983 GRT/4380 tdw – 




to main deck 


engines,3000 HP, made by MAN 


5.1.1963 launched. 19.4.1963 


GmbH, Rendsburg (No. 631) as 

JOBST OLDENDORFF for Egon 


6.7.1971 transferred to Holsatia 


1971 registered in Singapore 

(SGP). 1980 sold to Naviera 

Candiano S. p. A., Italy (ITA), 

Petrokan S. p. A., appointed as 

managers, renamed MONTONE. 

1982 managers deleted. 1983 sold 

to Petrokan S. p. A., Ravenna. 

1990 sold to Alba S. a. S. di 

Michele Mazzella E. C., Napoli 

(ITA), renamed FIERRO. 1995 sold 

to Genova Trade S.r.l., Genova 

(ITA). 1996 still trading. 

Captain’s dayroom 

95


1963-1983 

DKNH – cargo motorship – 


19,940 GRT/30,530 tdw – 


12 passengers 



on single-acting two-stroke diesel 

engine, 10,500 HP, made by MAN 



by Lübecker Flender Werke 

AG., Lübeck (No. 536) as CHRI- 

STOFFER OLDENDORFF for Egon 


1971 transferred to Wursata Shipping 

Co., Monrovia (LBR). 1983 sold 

to Nauplia Maritime Inc., Monrovia 

(LBR), renamed DOMINIC. 1984 renamed 

DENVER. 22.3.1986 arrived 

at Gadani Beach for demolition. 

62) HELENA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1965-1985 

DKNS – cargo motorship – 


21,813 GRT/34,100 tdw – 


12 passengers 




diesel engine, 10,800 HP, made 

by MAN AG, Augsburg, 15.4 knots 

5.12.1965 launched. 24.2.1965 



HELENA OLDENDORFF for Egon 


1971 transferred to Westfalia 


1983 renamed TRUE ENDEAVOUR. 

1985 sold to Ocean Jupiter Shipping 

SA., Panama (PAN), renamed 

OCEAN JUPITER. 1.8.1985 arrived at 

Shanghai for demolition in The 

People’s Republic of China. 

96 

Bulk carrier CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF (2) 

HELENA OLDENDORFF (1) 

loading lighter sections in 

Rotterdam and at her trial 

(below).

◆ 

Pioneering 

Bulk 

Shipping 

◆ 

As one of the pioneers of seaborne 

transportation of bulk cargoes in 

specialized ships, Egon Oldendorff 

had firmly established his company’s 

name with shippers and brokers and 

continued to expand his activities. 

Lübecker Flender-Werke delivered 

the somewhat modified sisterships 

HELENA OLDENDORFF and REGINA OLDEN- 

DORFF of 34,650 tdw each at sixmonthly 

intervals whilst Flensburger 

Schiffbau-Gesellschaft simultaneously 

completed the DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (4), 

TETE OLDENDORFF (2) and RIXTA OLDEN- 

DORFF (1), equal in size but with a 

slightly different silhouette. All bulk 

carriers were given accommodation 

for twelve passengers. The FSG newbuildings 

even had mobile cranes 

meant to handle cargo residuals, 

provisions and the motorcars which 

the passengers might wish to take 

with them. However, most passengers 

left their cars ashore and the newbuildings 

that followed reverted to 

the customary light cranes for 

provisions and stores positioned aft 

of the superstructure. Like all other 

large Oldendorff ships the bulk 

carriers traded world-wide. As an 

example, the HELENA OLDENDORFF left 

Emden in April 1967 bound for Japan, 

then proceeded to Peru, continued to 

the east coast of the United States 

through the Panama Canal, returned 

to Japan, proceeded to the US Gulf, 

again via the Panama Canal, and 

finally sailed to Rotterdam with 

36,000 tonnes of grain, logging 

56,931 nautical miles or 2.6 times the 

circumference of the earth in seven 

months and four days. 

The fleet expanded further still. At 

about the same time the Bremer 

Vulkan shipyard completed two bulk 

carriers, the BERNHARD OLDENDORFF 

and the HARMEN OLDENDORFF, each of 

52,660 tdw, duly followed in 1969/70 

by two 67,925 tdw sisterships, the 

EMMA OLDENDORFF and ECKERT OLDEN- 

DORFF. This brought the number of 

the Oldendorff bulker fleet to 13, 

ranging from 15,000 tdw to Panamax 

size, i.e. the largest type of ship that 

can pass the Panama Canal in a fully 

laden condition. Panamax vessels 

found increasing favour, such as with 

grain shippers who resorted to writing 

grain contracts from the US Gulf to 

Far East destinations in Panamax-size 

lots, and when the ore and coal 

trades followed suit that added to the 

versatility of these ships. 

97

98 

Bulk carrier DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (4) (FotoFlite) 


1965-1985 

DKNT – cargo motorship – 


22,196 GRT/34,650 tdw – 


12 passengers 




7-cyl. diesel engine, 10,800 HP, 

made by MAN A.G., Augsburg, 

15.4 knots 

29.10.1964 launched. 13.3.1965 



600) as DIETRICH OLDENDORFF for 


9.7.1971 transferred to Rhenania 


1983 renamed WESTERN GLORY. 

5.11.1985 arrived at Chittagong 

Roads for demolition. 13.11. demolition 

commenced by Continental 

Ship Breakers at Tulatoly.

Bulk shipping continued as a major 

field of activities. The smaller 

Oldendorff ships would in addition 

cater for such commodities as steel, 

timber, and bagged cargo. Thus, with 

the Oldendorff fleet ranging from 

4,400 tdw at the lower end up to 

68,000 tdw the company was in the 

business of carrying all manner of 

dry bulk and semi-bulk commodities 

worldwide. 

Meanwhile the first batch of 

post-war liner vessels had become 

a little obsolete. Ships in the 

10/15,000 tdw bracket still traded 

profitably on most routes as the 

Liberties began departing from 

the scene, for the following reasons: 

these steamers, once built to last 

for a short lifespan and completed 

by their builders in remarkably 

short time – average completion 

time stands at 62 days, with the 

ss ROBERT E. PEARY holding the record 

at four and one half days – 

became a common sight in ports the 

world over. The majority of them had 

survived the war. A number was 

allocated to allied and friendly 

nations such as Norway and Greece 

The new office building at No. 1 Fünfhausen 

in Lübeck, ready for occupation 

in August 1967 

which had suffered ship losses 

during the war, another part was 

immobilized as the US Reserve Fleet 

and the largest number were sold, 

not least to liner operators in 

search for tonnage with which 

to resume operations. Purchased 

at a reasonable price, fully geared, 

with a tweendeck and a rugged 

triple-expansion steam engine of 

2,500 HP the ships for a period 

became the backbone of deepsea 

shipping, gradually shifting from 

liner to tramp work, sturdy 

workhorses of the seven seas. 

Their numbers decreased in time 

due to losses and scrapping, and 

their death knell rang when in 

1967 the insurance world introduced 

the 15 year age limit. 

Higher insurance premiums made 

the ships uneconomical to run. 

Shipyards hit by empty orderbooks 

in the mid-sixties rose to the 

challenge and offered what 

soon became known as ‘Liberty 

Replacements’. 

99

100 

…renamed BOLD CHALLENGER (FotoFlite) 

64) REGINA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1965-1987 

DKNX – cargo motorship – 


21,807 GRT/34,300 tdw – 

12 passengers 




4-cylinder diesel engine, 10,800 

HP, made by MAN AG., Augsburg. 

12.5.1965 launched. 13.8.1965 



REGINA OLDENDORFF for Egon 


intended owners E. L. Oldendorff 

& Co GmbH. 20.7.1971 transferred 

to Holsatia Shipping Co., 

Monrovia (LBR). 1983 renamed 

BOLD CHALLENGER. 16.9.1985 

arrived at Hamburg, served as 

grain barge. 12.6.1987 sailed from 

Inchon for demolition in the 

People’s Republic of China and 

reported 31.7. at a Chinese port. 

Bulk carrier REGINA OLDENDORFF (Photograph: Gerhard Fiebiger) 

REGINA OLDENDORFF together with (Photograph: Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 

NAUTIC PIONEER (ex-TETE OLDENDORFF) as floating 

grain storages in the port of Hamburg, 1984

Launching of TETE OLDENDORFF at Flensburg, 26.11.1966 

65) TETE OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1967-1986 

DKOV – cargo motorship – 


22,430 GRT/38,144 tdw – 


12 passengers 



one single-acting two-stroke 7-cyl. 

diesel engine, 12,250 HP, made 

by MAN AG, Augsburg, 15 knots 

26.11.1966 launched. 13.3.1967 



611) as TETE OLDENDORFF for Egon 


1973 transferred to Panamanian 

(PAN) flag. 21.1.1975 reflagged to 

Germany (DEU). 19.2.1975 

flagged-out to Panama (PAN). 

23.8. 1979 transferred to Rhenania 


23.8.1983 renamed NAUTIC PIONEER. 

January 1986 sold to Ocean Jupiter 

Shipping Ltd., Kingston (VCT), 

Sunline Marine Transport Ltd. 

appointed as managing owners, 

renamed OCEAN URANUS. 1986 sold 

to Ocean Tramping Co. Ltd., Kings- 

town (VCT). 1987 sold to Ocean 

Uranus Ltd., Kingstown (VCT), Sunline 

Marine Transport Ltd. appoin- 

ted as managers. 12.6. 1986 arrived 

at Shanghai for demolition in the 

People’s Republic of China. 

TETE OLDENDORFF (Photograph: Rudi Kleijn) 

101

BERNHARD OLDENDORFF, then Bremer Vulkan’s largest dry cargo newbuilding. With increased deadweight 

capacity resulting from alterations to the load-line convention, additional cargo space was gained, 

mainly for grain shipments, through raising the height of the four hindmost hatch coamings by one metre. 

The first ship of this size without a raised forecastle. 

102 

66) BERNHARD OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1967-1989 

DKOX/HPMW – cargo motorship 

– gearless bulkcarrier 

30,510 GRT/27,456 GT /52,660 

tdw – 65,443 cubic metres grain – 

12 passengers 




diesel engine, 13,800 HP/10,150 

kW, made by Bremer Vulkan 

under MAN licence, 14.75 knots 

25.2.1967 launched. 12.4.1967 

completed by Bremer Vulkan 

AG., Vegesack (No. 927) as 

BERNHARD OLDENDORFF for Egon 


12.7.1978-20.6.1989 flagged-out 

to Panama (PAN) for Wursata 

Shipping Co. 15.6.1989 sold to 

Gulfeast Shipmanagement Ltd. 

Port Vila (VUT), renamed 

SAVOYDEAN III. 1989 sold to 

Sunfalcon Marine Transport SA, 

Gulfeast Shipmanagement Ltd. 

appointed as managers. 1991 

management changed to Doris 

Maritime Services SA., Geneva. 

7.8.1991 until 9.9.1992 laid up at 

Inchon when sailed for a breakers 

yard in The People’s Republic of 

China. November 1992 sold to 

Chinese breakers at Ningpo and 

arrived there prior 31.12.1992.

Bulk carrier RIXTA OLDENDORFF (lead ship). She and her sistership TETE OLDENDORFF (2) were the largest newbuildings (FotoFlite) 

delivered by FSG in the years 1967/68. Note the mobile crane on the foreship for handling cargo residuals. 

67) RIXTA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1967-1986 

DKPF/ELDB9 – cargo motorship – 


22,064 GRT/38,075 tdw – 

47,252 cubic metres grain – 

12 passengers 




diesel engine, 12,250 HP/ 

9010 kW, made by Bremer Vulkan 

under licence of MAN AG, 

Augsburg, 15 knots 

3.6.1967 launched. 21.9.1967 



612) as RIXTA OLDENDORFF for Egon 


1972 flagged-out to Panama 

(PAN). 14.11.1974 reflagged to 

Germany (DEU). 6.2.1975 

transferred to Arabella Shipping 

Co., Panama (PAN). 1977 transferred 

to Wursata Shipping Co., 

Singapore (SGP). 1983 renamed 

NOBLE SUPPORTER. From 21.10.1983 

until June 1986 served as a grain 

barge in Hamburg. 1986 sold to 

Ocean Tramping Co. Ltd., Kingstown 

(VCT), renamed OCEAN 

EARTH. 1986 sold to Ocean Earth 

Shipping Ltd., Kingstown (VCT). 

9.10.1986 arrived at Shanghai for 

demolition in The People’s 

Republic of China. 

103

Bulk carrier HARMEN OLDENDORFF (1). Like her sistership BERNHARD OLDENDORFF (FotoFlite) 

she took a full cargo of iron ore from Tubarao to Rotterdam on her maiden voyage 

104 

68) HARMEN OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1967-1983 

DKPJ – cargo motorship – 


30,509 GRT/52,660 tdw – 


12 passengers 





HP, made by the builders under 

licence of MAN, 14.75 knots 

19.8.1967 launched. 26.10.1967 


AG., Bremen-Vegesack, as HARMEN 


Lübeck (DEU). 12.2.1973 

transferred to Somalia registry, 

Mogadiscio (SOM). 10.3.1977 

reflagged to German (DEU) flag. 

23.10.1977 transferred to 

Panamanian registry (PAN). 1982 


Co.; Panama (PAN). 6.9.1983 sold 

to Unifida SA, Panama (PAN), 

renamed OLDEN. 1983 sold to Jitali 

Shipping Corp., Panama (PAN), 

Unifida SA. appointed as 

managers. 2.2.1987 ship struck 

coral reefs in the northern Red Sea 

and sank in position 27.31 N, 

34.17 E when on a voyage with 

barley from Hamburg for Jeddah.

◆ 

New Ship Sizes 

for Changing 

Markets 

◆ 

Shipping being a capital-intensive 

industry not only depends on the 

freight market but also on the 

willingness of bankers to finance, 

at reasonable conditions, the heavy 

investments that go into ships. 

It was in 1963 when 10,000 tonners 

fetched the lowest freight rates ever 

which in turn negatively affected 

their market value and which made 

bankers believe that the time was up 

for that category of ship. Instead, they 

favoured and willingly provided 

loans for the larger types of bulk 

carriers. The years that followed 

made them realize that even those 

ships could not generate higher than 

average returns. There is nothing to 

distract from the basic wisdom that 

one of the decisive factors determining 

the economic success of a ship 

depends on the time in any market 

cycle at which it is purchased, and, 

though not as important as the 

former, at which it is disposed of. 

Quite naturally the unit costs per ton 

of deadweight capacity decrease as 

ship size increases but world trade 

needs all sizes of ships 

if it is to function properly. 

The trend toward the larger ship 

was much in evidence at the 

beginning of what might be termed 

the Liberty Replacement era. As bulk 

carriers grew larger they found that 

fewer ports could accommodate 

them. Thus, the 15,000 tonners 

gained access to new markets. 

Feeder ships were required ranging 

from 200 to 20,000 tdw, depending 

on type of cargo and trade. 15,000 

tonners drawing 30 feet of water 

or less could safely reach almost 

every major port in the world. 

There were sceptics who predicted 

that the rapid changeover from 

conventional to fully containerized 

methods in liner shipping would 

push many former liner ships into 

the tramp market. However, a fair 

number of these liners were either 

overaged or would have had to be 

converted to suit their new tasks. 

Also, typical liner vessels with up 

to three decks, narrow hatches and 

such features as vegetable oil tanks, 

refrigerated chambers, lockers, 

etc. and expensive propulsion 

machinery delivering high speeds 

had limited chances of catering for 

bulk cargoes. 

105

mv GERDT OLDENDORFF (1), lead ship of the longer version of AG ‘Weser’ Seebeckwerft standard type ‘36’. 

Just under 40 units of type ’36L’ made this the most successful German Liberty replacement ship. (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

The shipyards foresaw a total volume 

of some 500 units to replace the 

ageing Liberties. This proved to be a 

misjudgement since no matter how 

106 

one defines a Liberty Replacement, it 

is true to say in retrospect that more 

than 1,000 of these of have in fact 

been built. But note one important 

difference: Liberties had been built 

for one single client, the Government 

of the United States of America, 

whereas a multitude of owners of

many nationalities could be identified 

as potential buyers for the new 

generation of freighters. Shipowners 

almost by definition are individualists, 

used to order tailor made ships. 

Series shipbuilding hardly existed 

except perhaps for account of one 

and the same shipowner and was 

in the main confined to coastal 

vessels. 

Cost consciousness increasingly 

exercised shipowners’ minds. Gone 

were the times when, in other than 

voyage charters, it did not make a 

material difference whether a round 

voyage took 40 or 45 days. Rising 

wages worldwide pushed up 

newbuilding prices as well as cargo 

handling costs. Series construction 

reduced building costs whilst modern 

cargo handling gear and ‘open’ type 

ships with wide hatches minimizing 

understow cut port turnround times. 

Shipbuilders had learnt a lesson from 

motorcar manufacturers and began 

offering their basic type vessel ‘X’ at 

an equally basic price, charging extra 

for special features. This reduced 

the costs of ship design. Series 

construction of sections contained 

building costs, and batch purchasing 

of materials provided an opportunity 

for bulk discounts. Thus, a 14,000 

tonner, one of a series of 25 identical 

units, can be obtained at 15 % below 

the price for a one-off construction 

of similar size. Today, this gap 

is even wider. 

Four shipbuilders almost simultaneously 

came to market with 

their new designs in 1966/67. 

Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries 

(IHI) of Japan offered their 

14,000 tdw type called ‘Freedom’, 

a model designation that may 

arguably have contributed to the 

great success of this vessel. 

Austin & Pickersgill of Sunderland, 

then owned by London & Overseas 

Freighters Ltd., had a shelterdecker 

of some 14,000 tdw that became 

known as the SD14. German 

shipbuilders Bremer Vulkan, Flensburger 

Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and 

Rickmers-Werft jointly marketed the 

‘German Liberty Replacement’ of 

15,000 tdw, and finally A.G.’Weser’ 

with yards at Bremen and Bremerhaven 

sought buyers for their 

‘36’ type, that title being the domestic 

project number of which the 

enlarged ’36L’ version eventually 

fulfilled its builders’ hopes. 

GRETKE OLDENDORFF (3) (FotoFlite) 

107

◆ 

Standard 

Freighters from 

Three Shipyards 

108 

◆ 

Egon Oldendorff felt the need to 

renew and expand his linertype 

vessel section and was among the 

first German owners to invest into 

this category which, incidentally, 

found little favour with his 

compatriot colleagues. Within no 

more than a few weeks he ordered 

two ’36L’ type ships from the 

A.G.’Weser’ Seebeck yard at Bremerhaven, 

each of 13,530/16,300 tdw, 

787,000 cu ft, 185 TEU container 

intake (spot loading) and with 

accommodation for eight passengers. 

The ships were delivered on 5 June 

and 29 September 1969 as the GERDT 

OLDENDORFF and HUGO OLDENDORFF (4). 

Bremer Vulkan received an order for 

three ‘German Liberty/German Multipurpose 

Freighter’ types, commissioned 

on 5 May, 15 August and 6 

December 1969 as the ELISABETH OLDEN- 

DORFF, CAROLINE OLDENDORFF and MARIA 

OLDENDORFF. Not long thereafter the 

owner, impressed by the description 

of the British designed SD14, bought 

one of them which was under 

construction at the time and took 

delivery of her on 22 July 1971 as the 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (3), the first of 

altogether nine SD14s contracted by 

Egon Oldendorff until 1980. GRETKE 

OLDENDORFF, a type ‘36L’ vessel, was 

commissioned early in 1973 as the 

third EO ship of this class. During 

that period the basic design of the 

ship remained unchanged but details 

were constantly subject to modifica- 

tions. GERDT OLDENDORFF, the company’s 

first series-built freighter, is unique 

for one more reason: she was the 

first-ever Oldendorff ship to alter her 

name into BENNEKOM (a Dutch town) 

at the request of her Dutch 

timecharterers, KNSM. ELISABETH 

OLDENDORFF, CAROLINE OLDENDORFF and 

MARIA OLDENDORFF also chartered by 

KNSM for periods of approximately 

two years, changed their names into 

BAARN, BREDA and BARNEVELD for the 

duration of the contracts. Renaming 

ships to accommodate charterers was 

yet to come into fashion and German 

authorities would grant permission 

only for period charters of 12 months 

or more. 

GERDT OLDENDORFF, fourth unit of the 

‘36’ type and the first of the longer 

and larger ’36L’ version, successfully 

completed trials in the North Sea and 

was commissioned on 12 June 1969. 

Shipyard manager E. Fritsche of 

Seebeck Werft, in an article carried 

by the HANSA shipping journal, 

praised the ship’s many advantages:

„The yard is happy to be able to offer 

its German and foreign clients an efficient 

freighter which can be flexibly 

adapted to a large selection of requirements 

by adding a wide range of 

optional extra equipment. Apart from 

meeting national and international 

regulations the basic design already 

incorporates the following features: 

– Suez and Panama Canal fitted; 

– two 5/10 tonnes derricks per 

hatch; 

– lateral movements in the horizontal 

plane in cargo compartments; 

– one eight tonnes mooring winch 

aft, with two capstan drums; 

– auto pilot; 

– gyro compass for console fitting 

with two bearing repeaters in the 

wings of the bridge, connected 

with auto pilot and wireless 

direction-finder; 

– weatherdeck hatchcovers of the 

MacGregor ‘single pull’ design; 

– forced-draft ventilation in cargo 

spaces with ten air changes per 

hour (empty spaces); 

– spacious refrigerated provisions 

stores ( abt. 110 m3 cubic capacity); 

– A.G.’Weser’ stern. 

No efforts have been spared to design 

a true series ship but having carefully 

considered all circumstances we 

realized that there are limits to 

standardization. Admittedly, this is a 

departure from the ideal of benefiting 

fully from the principle of series 

building. So incongruent are the 

requirements of owners, authorities 

and even of classification societies 

today (i.e., in 1969) that we find it 

impossible to offer world-wide, and 

sell, a truly standardized, series-built 

ship. Just consider the differences 

between crew accommodation on a 

European and an Asian ship. The 

former will have a crew of about 30 

on a type ‘36’ ship, possibly including 

four females, the latter carries 60 

crew. There are many more examples 

of this nature. However, economies of 

series construction can even be 

achieved in accommodation. We use 

standardized cabin designs and 

standardized furniture, enabling us 

to pre-fabricate in our workshop 

whilst retaining the necessary 

flexibility of responding to owners’ 

mv CAROLINE OLDENDORFF, one of three Oldendorff ships of the ‘German Multi-purpose Freighter/ 

German Liberty Replacement’ type jointly developed and marketed by three German 

shipyards, Bremer Vulkan, Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and Rickmers Werft. 

Vessel shown here prior to loading coiled wire at Trois Rivières, Canada. 

109

special requirements. What remains 

standardized throughout are such 

items as compartmentation of the hull 

and of the double bottom, hatch sizes, 

and design and position of cargo 

Heavy-duty automated cargo handling 

gear also suited for container handling 

was an outstanding feature of the 

German Multi-purpose Freighter and of 

Type 36L 

110 

handling gear. This also applies to the 

ship design of which there are four 

varieties: Type ‘36’ of 134m lpp and 

Type ‘36L’ of 139.25m lpp, either with 

or without a bulbous bow.“ 

In the early 1970s Oldendorff owned 

a good selection of 15,000 tonners: 

three each German Liberty Replacements, 

SD14s and Type ’36L’s in 

addition to the older tweendeckers 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF, JOHANNA 

OLDENDORFF, BIRTE OLDENDORFF and 

HELGA OLDENDORFF, and bringing up 

the rear, two 10,000 tonners. The 

latter ships were sold off in the 

course of the next few years. Egon 

Oldendorff ordered a Trampko type 

freighter in 1970 with the object of 

showing a presence in the 7/8,000 

tdw class. Trampko type ships had 

been jointly designed and were 

being built by Lübeck shipbuilders 

LMG/Orenstein + Koppel and 

Schlichting-Werft and had turned out 

to be a modest financial success for 

owners and shipbuilders alike. 

Delivered on 22 February 1971 as 

the GEBE OLDENDORFF (2) she was 

re-named the TERESEPOLIS for the 

duration of a period timecharter. 

A typical feature of this ship as also 

of the Type ’36L’ and the German 

Liberty Replacements was the Flender 

System pair of heavy derrick posts 

positioned between the two rear 

hatches. The posts joined by a cross 

beam characterized the ships’ 

appearance and permitted the 60tonnes 

derrick to slew through and 

to serve both hatches.

69) GERDT OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1969-1991 

DKCM – cargo motorship ‘36 L’ 

type’ – open/closed shelterdecker 

6763/9786 GRT – 13,530/16,300 


185 TEU – 8 passengers – 

1 derrick of 60 t 



to maindeck 

one single-acting four-stroke 

16-cylinder diesel engine, 8690 

HP, made by MAN AG, Augsburg, 

16.3 knots 

70) ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1969-1990 

DKAG/3FKB – cargo motorship 

‘German Liberty’ type – 


6551/9328 GRT – 12,972/15,315 






maindeck 



the shipbuilders under licence of 

MAN, 15.7 knots 

18.3.1969 launched. 5.5.1969 

completed by Bremer Vulkan AG., 

Vegesack (No. 948) as ELISABETH 



BAARN for a period charter to 

KNSM, Amsterdam. 9.2.1973 

18.2.1969 launched. 5.6.1969 

completed by AG ‘Weser’ Werk 

Seebeck, Bremerhaven (No. 940) 

as GERDT OLDENDORFF for Egon 


28.11.1972 renamed BENNEKOM for 

a period charter with KNSM, 

Amsterdam. 16.11.1973 renamed 

GERDT OLDENDORFF. 30.4.1974- 

30.3.1990 flagged-out to Panama 

(PAN) for Wursata Shipping Co., 

managers as before. 29.3.1990 

transferred to Egon Oldendorff 

(Liberia) Inc., Monrovia (LBR). 

May 1991 sold to Stork Shipping 

Co. Ltd., Valletta (MLT), managers 

Meadway Shipping & Trading 

Inc., renamed STORK. 10.2.1993 

arrived at Alang/India for 

demolition. 


8.11.1973 renamed ELISABETH 

OLENDORFF. 25.2.1975 re-flagged 

to Germany (DEU). 14.3.1975- 


(PAN). 1980 transferred to 

Wursata Shipping, Monrovia 

(LBR). 8.2.1990 transferred to 

Egon Oldendorff (Liberia) Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR). 1990 sold to 

Carabelas CA, Valletta (MLT), 

renamed FLAG MARS. 1990 sold to 

Far East Navigation Ltd., Valletta 

(MLT), Grand Wave Navigation 


Arrived Haikou before 13.7.1993 

and handed over to Chinese 

buyers, renamed TAI PING YANG. 

Still listed in Lloyd’s Register 

1994/95, but neither owners nor 

flag mentioned. 

Multi-purpose freighter GERDT OLDENDORFF (1) (FotoFlite) 

on charter to Pro-Line / Peter Cremer 

ELISABETH OLDENDORFF, renamed BAARN, (Photograph: Rudi Kleijn) 

on the Nieuwe Waterweg. 

111

CAROLINE OLDENDORFF on the river Elbe, (Photograph: Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 

wearing the Rhenania Shipping Corporation funnel mark. 

112 

ELISABETH OLDENDORFF approaching Cape Town 

71) CAROLINE OLDENDORFF – 

1969-1990 

DKCZ/HPCP – cargo motorship 

‘German Liberty’ type – 


6551/9328 GRT – 12,972/15,315 







6-cylinder diesel engine, 8400 HP, 

made by the shipbuilders under 


14.6.1969 launched. 15.8.1969 

completed by Bremer Vulkan AG, 

Vegesack (No. 949) as CAROLINE 



BREDA for a period charter to 

KNSM, Amsterdam. 8.11.1973 

renamed CAROLINE OLDENDORFF. 

17.5.1974-18.4.1990 flagged-out to 

Panama (PAN). 1979 transferred 

to Rhenania Shipping Corp., 

Monrovia (LBR), managers as 

before. 18.4.1990 transferred to E. 

Oldendorff (Liberia) Inc., Monrovia 

(LBR). 18.4.1990 sold to 

August Navigation Co., Monrovia 

(LBR), Leonhardt & Blumberg, 

Hamburg. appointed as managers, 

renamed AUGUST. August 1992 

sold to Ocean Crown Development 

Ltd., Kingstown (VCT), renamed 

YONG NIAN. 1994: 9369 GT. 

1996 still trading.

EMMA OLDENDORFF (FotoFlite) 

72) EMMA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1969-1985 

DKDF/3EDQ2 – cargo motorship – 


37,614 GRT/67,925 tdw – 

3,079,366 cubicfeet/87,194 cubic 

metres grain – 9 passengers 




9-cyl.diesel engine, 15,750 HP/ 

11,584 kW, made by Bremer 

Vulkan under licence of MAN, 

14.75 knots 

15.7.1969 launched. 9.9.1969 


Vegesack (No. 946) as EMMA 

OLDENDORFF for E. L. Oldendorff & 

Co. GmbH, Lübeck (DEU). 


(PAN). 28.1.1985 sold to Intermar 

Ship Management SA, Panama 

(PAN), renamed MARIA B. 1985 

sold to Orsoline Bay Carrier SA, 

Panama (PAN). 1987 sold to 

Carbotrans Shipping Services SA, 

Panama (PAN), renamed MERIT. 

1990 owners’ style changed to 

Carbotrans Ship Service SA. 1991 

renamed ORSOLA B. 1991 sold to 

Rosepearl Shipping Co. SA, 

Panama (PAN), managers Boship 

Management SA. 1993 sold 

to Carbotrans Shipping Service 

SA., Piraeus (GRC). In January 

1995 sold to Chinese breakers. 

Sailed from Shanghai 15.1.1995 

for breakers’ yard. 

113

74) MARIA OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1969-1986 

DKCS – cargo motorship – open/ 

closed shelterdecker 

6556/9333 GRT – 12,972/15,315 


270 TEU – 4 passengers – 1 

derrick of 60 t 

114 

HUGO OLDENDORFF (4) entering Rotterdam (Photograph: Rudi Kleijn) 

MARIA OLDENDORFF at Cape Town. (Collection Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 



one single-acting two-stroke 6cylinder 

diesel engine, 8400 HP, 

made by the shipbuilders under 


25.10.1969 launched. 8.12.1969 


Vegesack (No. 950) as MARIA 

OLDENDORFF for E. L. Oldendorff & 

Co. GmbH., Lübeck (DEU). 

26.10.1972 renamed BARNEVELD 

for a period charter to KNSM, 

Amsterdam. 12.1.1973 flagged-out 

to Panama (PAN). 16.11.1973 

renamed MARIA OLDENDORFF. 


Shipping Co., Panama, managers 


1969-1991 

DKCB – cargo motorship ’36L’ 

type – open/closed shelterdecker 

6763/9786 GRT – 13,530/16,300 






to maindeck 


16-cylinder diesel engine, 8690 

HP, made by MAN A.G., Augsburg, 

16.3 knots 

11.7.1969 launched. 29.9.1969 

completed by AG ‘Weser’ Werk 

Seebeck, Bremerhaven (No. 941) 

as HUGO OLDENDORFF for Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck (GER). 

24.7. 1974 flagged-out to Panama 

(PAN). 28.10.1976 re-flagged 

to Germany (DEU) and 11.5. 

1978-2.5.1990 flagged-out to 

Panama (PAN). 1982 transferred 

to Holsatia Shipping Co., Panama 

(PAN), managers as before. 

2.5.1990 transferred to Egon 

Oldendorff (Liberia) Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR). 1991 sold to 

San Evans Maritime Co. Ltd., 

Limassol (CYP), renamed 

SAN EVANS. 1996 still trading. 

as before. 12.12.1986 transferred 

to E. Oldendorff KG. 15.1.1987 

sold to Jinzhou Marine Transport 

Co., Dalian/Dairen (CHN), 

renamed BI JIA SHAN. 1989 sold to 

Jinzhou Marine Shipping Co., 

Dalian/Dairen (CHN). 1996 still 

trading.

75) ECKERT OLDENDORFF (1) – 

1970-1987 

DKDB/3ECT2 – cargo motorship 

– gearless bulkcarrier 

37,615 GRT/67,915 tdw – 


9 passengers 





HP/11,584 kW, made by the 

shipuilders under licence of 

MAN, 15 knots 

18.12.1969 launched. 3.2.1970 


AG, Vegesack (No. 947) as 

ECKERT OLDENDORFF for Egon 


20.10.1982-27.3.1987 flaggedout 

to Panama (PAN). 

27.3.1987 sold to Dabinovic 

(Monaco) S. A. M., Kingston 

(VCT), renamed MUO. 

1987 sold to St. Vincent Development 

Co. Ltd., Kingston 

(VCT), Dabinovic (Monaco) 

S.A.M. appointed as managers. 

1987 sold to RO Dalmatinska 

Plovidba, Dubrovnik (Ys), 

renamed INGMAN. 1987 sold to 

Blue Anchor Shipping Corp., 

Dubrovnik (HRV), RO 

Dalmantiska Plovidba appointed 

as managers. 1992 sold to La 

Paloma Navigation S. A., 

Kingstown (VCT), managers 

as before. May 1992 sold to 

Chinese breakers at Nantung 

for US Dollars 2.15 million. 

20.5.1992 sailed Houston for 

Shanghai. Arrived at the breakers’ 

yard before 30.6.1992. 

The massive hull of bulk carrier ECKERT OLDENDORFF 

on the Bremer Vulkan building ways. 

ECKERT OLDENDORFF heading (Skyfotos) 

northbound through English channel 

The vessel discharging at Bremerhaven Weserport. (Photograph: P.A.Kroehnert) 

115

116 

◆ 

Half a Ship 

Each for Father 

and Son 

◆ 

Egon Oldendorff took a 50 % share 

in another Trampko freighter. His son 

Klaus Oldendorff had started his 

shipping career in 1951 and at the 

age of 21 was appointed head of the 

superintendent department in his 

father’s company. At the age of 31, 

Klaus Oldendorff set up his own 

business as a shipowner in Hamburg. 

He bought his first ships on the secondhand 

market but commenced a fleet 

modernization programme in 1969 

when he ordered four Trampko 

freighters from Schlichting-Werft of 

Travemünde. Father and son Oldendorff 

each held 50 % in the second 

ship of this series, delivered on 24 

January 1970 as the NORDWOGE and 

managed by Reederei ‘NORD’ Klaus 

E. Oldendorff of Hamburg. The 

vessel was sold in 1981 to Fereniki 

Lines SA in Greece as the DIAMOND SUN. 

1969 was a record year for Egon 

Oldendorff with seven newbuildings 

totalling 146,470 tdw joining the 

fleet. In a commemorative publication 

issued on the occasion of his 

company’s 50th anniversary, Egon 

Oldendorff could look back with 

justified pride: his fleet counted 

33 units aggregating 726,910 tdw 

and barring few exceptions consisted 

of ships built to his order. Staff 

numbered 1,100 afloat and 54 ashore. 

Georg Redmer, in charge of shortsea 

chartering, had logged 41 years of 

service for Egon Oldendorff. 

„He had to build his fleet from 

scratch, two times over. The second 

time round is remarkable for the fact 

that other than foreign shipowners, 

German owners received no 

compensation for ships lost during 

the war or handed over thereafter. 

What assistance there was from the 

German government almost totally 

Shipowner Egon Oldendorff in the year 

of his company’s 50th anniversary 

ignored tramp shipping. Egon 

Oldendorff never received any real 

reconstruction loans. Acting on his

own initiative and firmly believing 

in his own strength and endurance 

he laid the base for the second 

beginning. One should add here 

that German shipping was at a 

considerable disadvantage vis-a-vis 

its European colleagues owing to the 

delay in being permitted to 

reconstruct. Thus, foreign competitors 

could benefit on a much larger scale 

from the Korean War and the first 

Suez crisis booms. The negative effects 

thereof, notably for German 

trampship owners, were obvious. 

The high tax load carried by German 

shipowners compared with other 

owners making the most of flags of 

convenience facilities constituted 

another handicap. German shipowners 

will have to muster all their 

experience to hold their own in the 

international market place.“ 

The immediate post-anniversary 

years were in fact a period of 

consolidation. Modern Sunderland 

series-built freighters of the SD14 

type gradually replaced older units 

which Egon Oldendorff sold to 

buyers abroad. He also decided to 

GEBE OLDENDORFF (2) with Wursata colours (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

entering the port of Rotterdam 

give up shortsea and European 

tramping activities where market 

conditions had undergone drastic 

changes as from the mid-sixties. 

Shortsea vessels of up to 3,000 tdw, 

often owned by the shipmaster 

himself or by companies that grew 

from such modest beginnings 

dominated the Baltic and North Sea 

trades. The advent of unitisation in 

the form of containers and packaged 

timber as also RoRo ships ushered 

in novel techniques and with them, 

new cargo flows. As a direct 

consequence of industrialisation 

Sweden and Finland increasingly 

exported processed goods such as 

paper, board and newsprint rather 

than timber as a raw material for 

paper manufacturing. This went hand 

in hand with the decline of British 

coal mining and technical 

innovations in mining techniques and 

brought to an end the movement of 

pit props. No longer were the typical 

small coasters able to compete with 

foreign-flag competitors. Ships such 

as the ANNA OLDENDORFF, GRETKE 

OLDENDORFF and HILLE OLDENDORFF 

had to carry no less than 21 crew 

compared with 17 on Italian-flag 

vessels. All of this made Egon 

Oldendorff decide to depart from the 

coastal trades. Trampko-type GEBE 

OLDENDORFF became the smallest ship 

in his fleet at about 7,500 tdw. 

Instead, he focussed his attention 

on tank shipping. 

117

mv GEBE OLDENDORFF, seen here in the English Channel on her way to Central America, in charter to 

Contilines. Egon Oldendorff owned one of the successful series of multi-purpose freighters of the ‘Trampko’ 

type jointly developed by two Lübeck shipyards, LMG and Schlichting. Egon Oldendorff also held a 50% 

share in sistership NORDWOGE managed by his son Klaus. 

118 

76) GEBE OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1971-1987 

DKCK/S6AP – cargo motorship 

‘Trampko’ type – 


2827/4796 GRT – 5853/7305 tdw 

– 10,638 cubic metres grain – 





to main deck 


diesel engine, 2942 kW, made by 

MaK Maschinenbau, Kiel, 14.5 knots 

30.10.1970 launched. 22.2.1971 

completed by O & K Orenstein & 

Koppel AG., Lübeck (No. 683) as 

GEBE OLDENDORFF for Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck (DEU). 28.4.1971 

renamed TERESOPOLIS for period 

charter to Empresa de Nav. Aliança, 

Rio de Janeiro. 22.12.1970 transferred 

to a Kommanditgesellschaft, 

Egon Oldendorff appointed as 

manager. 5.12.1972 flagged-out to 

Panama(PAN). 17.4.1973 renamed 

GEBE OLDENDORFF. 13.1.1975 reflagged 

to Germany (DEU). 


Shipping Corp., Panama (PAN). 

1976 transferred to Arabella Shipping 

Co., Singapore (SGP). 1977 

transferred to Wursata Shipping 

Co., Singapore flag (SGP). 1984 

renamed ALYBELLA. 1987 renamed 

GEBE OLDENDORFF. October 1987 

sold to China National Machinery 

Import & Export Corp., Lianyungang/Lienyukang 

(CHN), 

renamed YUN LONG. 1990 sold 

to the Government of The People’s 

Republic of China, managers 

as before. 1992 transferred 

to Lianyungang Shipping Co., 

Lianyungang (CHN). 1996 still 

trading.


1971-1988 

DKBA/9VBC – cargo motorship 

‘SD14’ type – fulldecker 

9079 GRT/15,017 tdw – 


6 passengers – 1 derrick of 60 t, 

1 of 30 t 

140.99 m length over all, 

20.46 m beam on frames, 

8.84 m draught 


5516 kW, made by Hawthorn, 

Leslie Ltd., Newcastle, under 

licence of Sulzer, 15 knots 

Ordered 1969 by Half Moon 

Shipping Co., Monrovia. Contract 

purchased 1969. 21.5.1971 

launched. 22.7.1971 completed 

by Austin & Pickersgill Ltd., 

Sunderland (No. 872) as DORTHE 


Lübeck (DEU). 3.8.1972 

transferred to a Kommanditgesellschaft, 

Egon Oldendorff 



Co., Singapore (SGP) as bareboat 

charterers. 1988 handed over 

to Sinzhong Lines Pte. Ltd. 

Singapore flag (SGP), renamed 

SINFA, Lian Huat Shipping Co. 

(Pte.) Ltd., appointed as 

managers. 1993: 8937 GT. 

1996 still trading. 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (3), first of nine SD14 type standard freighters completed by Sunderland shipyard 

Austin & Pickersgill for Egon Oldendorff. Pictured above at the launching, and below wearing 

the funnel mark of Wursata Shipping Corporation. “Wursata” is the Latin version of Wursten, 

the home county of the founder of the company. 

(Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

119

120 

78) IMME OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1971-1987 

DKEB/9VCJ – cargo motorship 


9077 GRT/15,017 tdw – 21,425 

cubic metres grain – 6 passengers 

– 1 derrick of 60 t, 1 of 30 t 



maindeck 


5516 kW, made by G. Clark & 

N.E.M. Ltd., Wallsend, under 


Ordered by Babitonga Shipping 

Co., Monrovia. 1970 contract 

purchased by Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck . 15.3.1972 launched. 

4.5.1972 completed by Austin 

& Pickersgill Ltd., Sunderland 

(No. 877) as IMME OLDENDORFF for 

a Kommanditgesellschaft, Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck (DEU), appointed 

as managing owner. 13.10. 

1972 transferred to a Partenreederei, 

Egon Oldendorff remained 

manager. 7.12.1972 flagged-out 

to Singapore (SGP). 1977 transferred 

to Holsatia Shipping Corp., 

Singapore (SGP), as bareboat 

charterers, managers as before up 

to 1980. 1987 sold to Skyriver 

Maritime Ltd., Hongkong (HKG), 

managers McRink Management 

(Panama) Ltd. SA., renamed LADY 

ARYETTE. 1992 sold to Paloma Enterprise 

SA., Panama (PAN), 

managers Everett Orient Line Inc., 

renamed IVYEVERETT. 1995 sold to 

unnamed buyers, renamed 

TECHMANT PIONEER. 1996 still trading. 

Superstructure positioned between 

hatches 4 and 5, the distinguishing 

mark of SD14 freighters. 

IMME OLDENDORFF (2) (FotoFlite)

SD14-type multi-purpose freighter HILLE OLDENDORFF (2) 

121

79) HILLE OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1972-1987 

DKCC/9VFD – cargo motorship 


9076 GRT/15,017 tdw – 21,425 





to maindeck 


5516 kW, made by Hawthorn 

under licence of Sulzer, 15 knots 


1973 – 1991 

DKOZ/3FVF – cargo motorship 

‘36L’ type – open/closed 

shelterdecker 

122 

Ordered by Copacabana Shipping 

Co., Monrovia. 1970 contract 

purchased by Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck. 11.8.1972 launched. 



(No. 880) as HILLE OLDENDORFF 

for E. L. Oldendorff & Co. GmbH., 

Lübeck (DEU). 5.7.1973 transferred 

to a Partenreederei, Egon 



6741/9784 GRT – 13,530/16,300 

tdw – 787.676 cubicfeet grain – 

270 TEU – 8 passengers – 1 derrick 

of 60 t 



15.8.1973 flagged-out to 

Singapore (SGP). 1985 transferred 

to Westfalia Shipping Corp., 


charterers. 1987 sold to Linksail 

Maritime Ltd., Hongkong (HKG), 

McRink Management (Panama) 

Ltd SA, appointed as managing 

owners, renamed LADY TRUDE. 

1988 sold to Chepo Ltd., Hong 

Kong (HKG), Gleneagle Ship 

Management Co. Inc., appointed 

to maindeck 

one single-acting four-stroke 16cyl.-diesel 

engine, 8690 HP, made 

by MAN AG., Augsburg 

16.3 knots 

as managers, renamed LAKE 

TAHOE. 24.11.1990 arrested at St. 

Anna Bay/Curaçao. Spring 1991 

sold to Laserway Shipping Ltd., 

Limassol (CYP), managers Ilios 

Shipping Co. SA, renamed 

PANTOCRATOR CORFU. 1993 sold 

to Navalplanet Shipping Ltd., 

Limassol (CYP), Ilios Shipping 

Co. SA., appointed as managers, 

renamed FEAX. 1996 still trading. 

30.11.1972 launched. 8.2.1973 

completed as GRETKE OLDENDORFF 

by AG “Weser” Seebeckwerft, 

Bremerhaven (No. 965) for a 

Kommanditgesellschaft, Egon 



6.8.1973-22.8.1985 transferred to 

Arabella Shipping Co., Panama 

(PAN) as bareboat charterers. 

1980 transferred to Rhenania 

Shipping Co., Panama (PAN), as 

bareboat charterers. 1984 

transferred to Arabella Shipping 

Co., Panama (PAN). 23.8.1985- 

29.6.1989 flagged-out to St. 

Vincent (VCT). 29.6.1989 


(Liberia) Inc., Monrovia (LBR). 

1991 sold to Lark Shipping Co. 

Ltd. Malta (MLT), Mgr. Meadway 

Shipping & Trading Inc., renamed 

LARK. 1994 sold to Solar Glory 

Maritime Ltd. , Kingstown (VCT), 

renamed SOLAR GLORY. 1995: 

9892 GT. 1996 still trading. 

GRETKE OLDENDORFF 

on her trial trip in heavy 

weather

Bulk carrier LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (3), lead ship of a series of four, commissioned in 1974 

as the first ship ordered from a Yugoslav shipyard for German account 


1974-1987 

9VGB – cargo motorship – 


40,967 GRT/74,024 tdw – 93,454 

cubic metres grain, 10 passengers 




diesel engine, 12,806 kW, made 

by the shipbuilders under licence 

of Sulzer, 15.5 knots 

31.8.1973 launched. 14.4.1974 

completed by Brodogradiliste ‘3. 

Maj’, Rijeka (No. 555) as LUDOLF 


Lübeck, Singaporian flag (SGP). 

1974 transferred to Partenreederei, 


appointed as mananging owner. 

1987 transferred to Holsatia 

Shipping Corp., Singapore (SGP), 

as bareboat charterers. 1987 sold 

to Bulkitalia S. p. A., Napoli (ITA), 

renamed BULKPORTOFINO. 1992 

sold to Finaval Sp.A. di Navigazione, 

Panama (PAN), renamed 

ISOLA ROSSA. 1992 sold to Bulkitalia 

S. p. A., Napoli (ITA). 1993 sold 

to Madeira Shipping Co., Valletta 

(MLT), renamed BULKMADEIRA. 

1993 sold to Catana Shipping Co. 

Ltd., Limassol (CYP), renamed 

KYRENIA. 1995: 40,453 GT. 1996 

still trading. 

123

SD14 freighter HINRICH OLDENDORFF (2), renamed HAPPY CHANCE in 1981 (FotoFlite) 

124 


1974-1991 

9VHG (7341879) – cargo 

motorship ‘SD14’ type – fulldecker 

9067 GRT/15,000 tdw – 21,313 





maindeck 


5516 kW, made by G. Clark & 

N.E.M. Ltd., Newcastle, under 


8.5.1974 launched. 28.6.1974 

completed by Austin & Pickersgill 

Ltd., Sunderland (No. 892) as 

HINRICH OLDENDORFF for Holsatia 

Shipping Co. (Liberia), Singapore 

(SGP), manager Egon Oldendorff 

up to 1980. 1981 renamed HAPPY 

CHANCE. December 1991 sold to 

Martin Maritime Co. Ltd., Valletta 

(MLT), mgr. Meadway Shipping & 

Trading Inc., renamed MARTIN. 

Sold in March 1995 for US Dollars 

1.5 million to Nika Shipping Ltd., 

Valletta (MLT), Unit Maritime Inc., 


NIKA. 1996 still trading.

Bulk carrier DORA OLDENDORFF (3) (FotoFlite) 

83) DORA OLDENDORFF (3) – 

1974 – 9VGI 

cargo motorship – gearless 

bulkcarrier 

40.967 GRT/73,977 tdw – 93,455 





diesel engine, 12,806 kW, made 

by the shipbuilders under licence 


12.2.1974 launched. 13.7.1974 


Maj’, Rijeka (No. 556) as DORA 


Singapore (SGP). 1974 transferred 

to a Partenreederei. 1980 transferred 

to Rhenania Shipping Corp., 


charterers. 1987 transferred to 

Egon Oldendorff (Hong Kong) 

Ltd., Hongkong (HKG), 

as bareboat charterers. 1994: 

40,645 GT. 1996 still trading. 

125

126 

EIBE OLDENDORFF (2) 

SPLENDID FORTUNE ex-CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (2) (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

84) EIBE OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1974-1995 

ELCB5 – cargo motorship ‘SD14’ 

type – fulldecker 

9070 GRT/14,970 tdw – 21,313 

cubic meters grain – 6 passengers – 

1 derrick of 60 t, 1 of 30 t 



maindeck 

one diesel engine, 5516 kW, made 

by G. Clark & N. E. M. Ltd., Wallsend 



by Austin & Pickersgill Ltd., 

Sunderland (No. 893) as EIBE OLDEN- 

DORFF for Arabella Shipping Co. SA, 

Singapore (SGP), managers E. Oldendorff 

up to 1980. 1981 transferred 

to Holsatia Shipping Corp., Monrovia 

(LBR), renamed FAIR SPIRIT. 

1994 sold to Halfmoon Shipping 

Co., Monrovia. 1995 sold to 

“Coreck” Maritime GmbH, Hamburg. 



1974-1991 

9VHI – cargo motorship ‘SD14’ 

type – fulldecker 

9070 GRT/14,971 tdw – 21,313 

cubic meters grain – 6 passengers 




maindeck on diesel engine, 5516 

kW, made by G. Clark & N.E.M. 

Ltd., Wallsend, under licence of 

Sulzer, 15 knots 

20.8.1974 launched. 11.10.1974 

completed as CATHARINA OLDENDORFF 

for Westfalia Shipping Co., Singapore 

(SGP), as bareboat charterers, 

1981 renamed SPLENDID FORTUNE. 

September 1991 sold to Delight 

Glory Shipping Ltd., Panama (PAN), 

Mgr. Parakou Shipping Ltd., renamed 

DELIGHT GLORY. 1996 still trading.

BIRTE OLDENDORFF (3) being 

launched at Rijeka on 13.7.1974. 

BIRTE OLDENDORFF approaching the river Scheldt on 28.6.1979. (Photograph: Raymund Oberhenn) 

OCEAN TRAVELLER ex-BIRTE OLDENDORFF discharging at Antwerp (Photograph: Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 

86) BIRTE OLDENDORFF (3) – 

1974-1989 

9VHF – cargo motor-ship – 


40,967 GRT/74,099 tdw – 93,454 





engine, 12,806 kW, made by the 

shipbuilders under licence of Sulzer, 

15.5 knots 

13.7.1974 launched. 12.12.1974 


Maj’, Rijeka (No. 559) as BIRTE OLDEN- 

DORFF for Egon Oldendorff, Singapore 

(SGP). 1974 transferred to 

Wursata Shipping Co., Singapore 

(SGP), as bareboat charterers. 1981 

Shipowner Egon Oldendorff and his daughter 

Birte who acted as sponsor during the 

handing-over ceremony. (Photograph: B. Zorz) 

renamed OCEAN TRAVELLER. 1989 sold 

to Cerrahoguallari Umuni Nakliyat 

Vapürcuülük ve Ticaret A/S, Istanbul 

(TUR), renamed M. N. EFES. In 

May 1995 sold ‘as is’ to Sourgerka 

Maritime Co. Ltd., Piraeus (GRC). 


127

HELGA OLDENDORFF loading grain at Rosario/Argentina 

128 

UNITED VENTURE ex-HELGA OLDENDORFF (2) (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

87) HELGA OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1975-1993 

S6AA – cargo motorship – gearless 

bulkcarrier 

40,967 GRT/74,013 tdw – 93,454 





engine, 17,400 kW, made by the 

shipbuilders under licence of Sulzer, 

15.5 knots 

27.12.1974 launched. 24.4.1975 


Maj’, Rijeka (No. 561) as HELGA 

OLDENDORFF for Rhenania Shipping 

Co., Singapore (SGP), as bareboat 

charterers. 1980 managers Egon 

Oldendorff. 1981 renamed UNITED 

VENTURE. 1993 sold to Halfmoon 

Shipping Co., Monrovia (LBR), 

1993 sold to Acumen Shipping 

Ltd., Limassol (CYP), mgr. J. P. 

Samartzis Maritime Enterprises 

Co. SA., renamed UNITED V. 

1995: 40,560 GT. 1996 still trading.

◆ 

An Affiliate 

for 

Two Tankers 

◆ 

Three historical dates mark the 

development of tank shipping as we 

know it today. The first is not exactly 

recorded but it was in the year 1854 

when Messrs Bissel and Eveleth 

purchased a plot owned by 

Pennsylvania building material 

merchants Brewer, Watson & Co. On 

that plot was a pool of ‘black water’, 

that is, of crude oil. The first ever 

drilling to strike oil at a depth of 21 

metres took place in Pennsylvania on 

27 August 1859. The world’s first 

deepsea tank steamer, the GLüCKAUF, 

built for account of Geestemündebased 

forwarder Wilhelm Anton Riedemann, 

left her builders’ yard to do sea 

trials on 13 July 1886. Tank shipping 

played but a minor role at the turn 

of the century but was heading for 

a bright future. Crude oil became 

the raw material for gasoline and for 

a wide assortment of chemical 

products. A German encyclopedia 

cites the German per-capita consumption 

of oil in 1865 as 1.5 kg 

which increased to 13.9 kg by 1903 

when Germany imported 1.112 million 

tonnes of crude oil from the United 

States of America. The largest tanker 

of that year was the NARRANGANSETT 

owned by Standard Oil Company, 

weighing in at an impressive 9,196 

GRT and 157 metres loa. The 12,500 

tdw vessel had her engine amidship. 

In 1908 no fewer than 22 tank steamers 

flew the German flag, 18 thereof 

owned by Deutsch-Amerikanische 

Petroleum-Gesellschaft. The world’s 

first diesel tanker was commissioned 

in 1901, the EMMANUAL NOBEL of 4,665 

GRT. By October 1911 the world 

tanker fleet numbered 251 units 

totalling 815,996 GRT, and when 

World War II broke out in 1939 the 

latter figure had increased to 16.1 

million GRT including the then 

largest tanker, US-flag C.O.STILLMAN of 

24,185 tdw, already built in 1928. 

Post-World War II motorisation led to 

a tremendous growth of the tanker 

population whilst carrying capacities 

increased from 20,000 through 30,000 

to 40,000 tdw. The 1956 Suez crisis 

set the scene for new dimensions. In 

those days a laden 50,000 tonner 

could transit the Suez Canal, but 

when the canal was blocked, 

shipowners flooded the shipbuilding 

industry with orders for larger 

newbuildings. The actual construction 

of a 100,000 tonner no longer posed 

serious problems but adequate 

building berths had to be provided, 

with building docks being preferred 

to sloping slipways since they 

129

eliminate the risk of buckling as 

the ship goes down the ways. 

The UNIVERSE APOLLO, built for 

account of the then tanker tycoon 

Daniel K. Ludwig, at 106,190 tdw was 

the first ship to exceed the 100,000 

tdw mark, but her time at the top of 

the list was limited. Forty thousand 

invited guests witnessed the naming 

ceremony of the 90,187 tdw tanker 

ESSO DEUTSCHLAND, sponsored by Mrs 

Wilhelmine Lübke, spouse of the 

President of the Federal Republic of 

Germany, in 1963, one of the first 

tankers to have the engine room and 

the deckhouse aft. The TEXACO 

CUMBRIA, completed one year later, 

was the first tanker without the 

customary catwalk but instead had an 

alleyway below deck. Ship and 

engine construction techniques made 

great strides forward in the 1960s. 

Problems of structural strength had 

been overcome, as had those 

associated with water resistance and 

buoyancy, the latter by the 

development of the bulbous bow 

130 

which at the same time reduced 

bunker consumption. Efficient 

large-bore diesel engines took the 

place of the turbine and section 

building techniques cut newbuilding 

prices and delivery times of large 

tankers. Freight rates had slumped 

for a number of years. The world 

tanker fleet stood at some 86 million 

tdw as of 1 January 1965, of which 

17.5 million tdw flew the flag of 

Liberia and 13.1 million that of 

Norway. The Federal Republic of 

Germany ranked No. 14 with 1.449 

million tdw. Tankers exceeding 

200,000 tdw came on-stream from 

1966 onwards, and by August 1967 a 

total of 64 units of over 200,000 tdw 

were on order or under construction. 

The newbuilding boom continued as 

the Suez Canal lost its previous 

pre-eminent position for tankers. In 

the Persian Gulf trade small tankers 

below 50,000 could no longer 

compete with larger ships. Not long 

after the war the Persian Gulf 

replaced the United States as the 

world’s most important oil 

production region. Oil loading ports 

around the Arabian Sea now took the 

lead. Supertankers were given 

another boost by the Near East crisis 

of 1967 and the second closure of the 

Suez Canal. The keel was laid of the 

477,000 tdw tanker GLOBTIK TOKYO in 

1973. A worldwide tanker building 

boom followed years of relative 

abstinence, fuelled by strong 

demand. Tankers earning their 

staggering purchase price in a matter 

of ten voyages were not exactly the 

order of the day, but they did exist 

and were not the stuff of modern 

fairy tales. Now that numerous VLCCs 

were under construction, some European 

shipyards prepared to construct 

Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCCs). 

The surge of motorization, fuelguzzling 

cars, the demise of the 

steam era, the rapid change-over to 

diesel propulsion and the expanding 

petro-chemical industry all seemed to 

herald a glorious future for tanker 

shipping.

Howaldtswerke shipyard of Kiel, 

keen to jump on the jumbo ship 

bandwagon, began constructing a 

large newbuilding dock of 426 

metres length and 88.4 metres width, 

with the apron ten metres below 

mean sea level, sufficient to build 

tankers of inconceivable 600,000 tdw. 

Had the shipyard built seven such 

giants it would have recovered the 

investment for the dock. The yard 

had booked orders for such ultralarge 

tankers, but none was finally 

to be built. 

From the second half of the sixties 

onwards, and particularly during the 

last quarter of 1972 tanker owners 

inundated shipyards with orders for 

ever larger ships. Yards booked 

orders for 112 supertankers during 

the last three months of 1972; 

one quarter thereof went to German 

builders. A.G. ‘Weser’ of Bremen 

alone contracted the construction of 

six 380,000 tonners. Experts were at 

a loss to explain the sudden rush. 

German owners had no part in the 

run for large tankers, except the 

German subsidiaries of Esso and 

Shell who each operated two 253,000 

and 317,000 tonners under the 

German flag. At that stage the fact 

dawned upon German business 

circles that the transportation of 

crude oil, that indispensable 

commodity, was firmly controlled by 

foreign shipowners and industrial 

concerns. Tankers under the German 

flag, by virtue of their size and 

capacities, shrank into insignificance 

in this context. The Bonn 

government decided to grant 

shipbuilding subsidies of 15 % to 

domestic yards for the construction 

of large tankers for German owners. 

This encouraged several German 

shipowners to place orders for large 

tankers, including Hapag-Lloyd AG 

(a result of the merger of Hamburg- 

Amerikanische Packetfahrt AG 

and Norddeutscher Lloyd in 1970), 

John T. Essberger, the VEBA and the 

Gelsenberg concerns, and Poseidon- 

Reederei. In 1973 Egon Oldendorff 

decided to have two turbine tankers 

of 240,000 tdw each built which 

he ordered from Howaldtswerke 

of Kiel for a total price of about 

DM 250 million. 

The countries forming the OPEC cartel 

triggered the 1973 oil crisis, as 

opposed to previous events which 

had rather been transport crises. The 

idea was to prop up prices by 

curtailing crude oil production. With 

oil prices high, other oilfields outside 

the Middle East crisis area became 

viable propositions, including expensive 

offshore activities. Great Britain 

and Norway emerged as competitors 

of the Arabian sheikhdoms. 

No supertankers were required to 

carry crude oil from North Sea 

oilfields, and as in the United States, 

pipelines replaced sea-borne 

transportation, if only partly. 

Users of petroleum fuels became 

cost and consumption conscious, 

and exploitation of alternative sources 

of energy gathered momentum. 

131

Tankers NIEDERSACHSEN (foreground) and SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN at the builders’ yard in Kiel 

132

Those were the makings of the 

tanker catastrophe. The trickle of 

crude oil emanating from the Persian 

Gulf gave employment to only a 

fraction of the existing tanker fleet. 

Freight rates dropped to abysmal 

depths, and tanker newbuildings 

frequently performed just one 

voyage, from the builders’ yard into 

lay up, to await better days. Even 

though better days did in fact come 

and more, and cheaper, oil was being 

shipped as OPEC members violated 

self-imposed restrictions, the 

fervently wished-for tanker boom 

never repeated itself. Egon 

Oldendorff vainly tried to put on 

emergency brakes through either 

cancelling the newbuilding orders or 

switching to other types of vessels. 

In a lengthy article in the Lübecker 

Nachrichten daily, Konrad Böttcher 

wrote: 

„Tanker newbuilding SCHLESWIG- 

HOLSTEIN, christened at Kiel on 

12 December 1975 by Mrs Margot 

Stoltenberg, wife of the then 

Schleswig-Holstein prime minister 

Gerhard Stoltenberg, sports a funnel 

mark showing a white T in a blue 

band. The reason is that a new 

owning company, Trave-Schiffahrtsgesellschaft 

mbH & Co. KG of Lübeck, 

had been founded for the two largest 

ships yet in Lübeck shipping history. 

Egon Oldendorff is the managing 

owner and has shares in the 

company. The tanker will never be 

within eyesight of its home port. 

Drawing 20.6m of water and at 

325.5 m loa and 49 m width the 

vessel is not even the largest tanker of 

them all. She could transit the Suez 

Canal in ballast condition. 

When in 1972, long before the oil 

shock, the Federal Government and 

numerous banks demanded stronger 

German participation in the carriage 

of imported crude oil, this country 

did not have adequate building 

facilities for ships of that size. They 

are in place now. ‘We got it wrong, 

all of us’, says Egon Oldendorff today. 

Hapag-Lloyd managed to convert the 

order for one of their tankers into six 

multipurpose freighters. The other 

380,000 tdw tanker will be delivered 

next spring. When Oldendorff tried to 

cancel the order for his first tanker, 

the HDW shipyard had a capacity 

utilization problem. ‘The yard would 

have had a production gap’ said 

Oldendorff. Arbitration proceedings 

were suspended and an agreement 

finally reached. According to Egon 

Oldendorff: ‘In agreements of that 

kind neither party escapes 

unscathed...’.“ 

According to the shipyard it was too 

late to convert the order from tankers 

to bulk carriers since all preparatory 

work had been completed, material 

and engines had been ordered, and 

actual construction work had 

commenced. Prior to the oil crisis the 

yard had ten oil tankers and two gas 

tankers in its order book. Also, the 

quoted prices for the bulk carriers 

were less than attractive. The Bonn 

government assisted Oldendorff by 

adding a 7.5% investment grant to 

the shipbuilding subsidy. To comply 

with the conditions attached thereto 

Egon Oldendorff transferred both 

133

tankers to the newly founded ‘Trave’ 

Schiffahrtsgesellschaft. Thus the 

funnel for the first tanker, the 

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN, which for months 

sat on the shipyard premises wearing 

the traditional EO livery constitutes a 

bit of shipping history. The tanker 

was commissioned with a funnel 

showing a different mark, a white T 

in a blue band. 

134 

Turbine tanker NIEDERSACHSEN 

„Germany’s most important private 

shipowner had long had the idea of 

having tankers, and when the 

German tanker building programme 

came, he took action. As Egon 

Oldendorff says, ‘Government at that 

time had reserved its right to deploy 

those ships at its discretion in times 

of emergencies’. Consequently the 

owner of the tankers now only 

considers it fit that government 

should do something to find 

employment for the ships it had 

wanted in the first place and 

subsidized the building of, even 

though the market is in the doldrums. 

German tanker owners are currently 

negotiating with the federal ministry 

of transport. 

Oldendorff reckons that to put the 

tankers into lay-up in the Geltinger 

Bucht (near Flensburg, where up to 

nine large German tankers idled), 

which the Lübeck newbuildings can 

hardly escape considering the glut of 

tankers, will cost him 4,336 Deutschmark 

per ship per day, perhaps 

slightly less if the Trave tankers were 

to lie in a trot. 

Pure tanker owners like the 

Norwegians have been much harder 

hit than Egon Oldendorff who has 

many dry cargo ships trading 

worldwide. Oldendorff is convinced 

that no German tanker owner will go 

bankrupt.“ (He was right.)

„However, the Trave giants will soon 

be under way, if only not to let the 

builders’ guaranty become time 

barred. But on the other hand, the 

Kiel shipyard might be persuaded to 

add to the guaranty period the time 

the ships spend in lay-up. Oldendorff 

draws attention to the WILHELMINE 

ESSBERGER, another of the troubled 

Bonn-inspired tankers which 

delivered into a one-year timecharter 

with Mobil Oil of New York. 

He further thinks that consumers 

would not be any worse off if the new 

German tankers were to operate. 

Geltinger Bucht could be cleared of 

laid-up ships if only ten percent of 

German crude imports were to be 

carried by the tankers built under the 

government-initiated building 

programme. Onehundred percent 

of Spanish crude imports have to be 

carried by Spanish-flag tankers. 

A full fifty percent of all French 

imports of crude oil have been 

reserved for that EC neighbour’s flag. 

‘In shipping a great deal depends on 

politics’, says Egon Oldendorff who, 

in contrast to many of his shipowning 

colleagues, is known for not normally 

asking for state aid. 

Oldendorff says that the Arabs have 

bought numerous tanker 

newbuildings, and are still buying. 

He thinks that Bonn should sanction 

the sale of his 240,000 tonners 

financed with long-term government 

loans. But of course, that would be 

tantamount to government admitting 

to the world that its tanker building 

programme had been a complete 

failure.“ 

Government did not oblige. Tanker 

buyers in those days would look at 

nothing but extraordinary bargains, 

not exactly a fitting description 

of tankers ordered during the 

newbuilding boom. Even if Bonn 

had lifted the commitment to fly 

the German flag for a certain period 

which was part of the terms of 

the government loans, and if on top 

the owner would have sacrificed his 

own investment, the then market 

price would still have been considerably 

lower. Actual sales concluded 

during that time were made on 

the basis of no more than 50% of the 

ex-yard price. Therefore, very few 

owners sold their tonnage, most of 

them harbouring hopes for the better. 

No employment was found for the 

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN that would have 

cost the owner less than lay-up, and 

thus the grey-and-red giant made for 

near-by Geltinger Bucht on 3 February 

1976 where she was laid up. The 

ship proceeded to Bahrain at the end 

of August. Oldendorff obtained 

permission in 1978 to flag-out the 

vessel to Panama in a bid to reduce 

running costs. In between two 

voyages the ship was frequently 

forced to idle for prolonged periods, 

and on 9 September 1981 she was 

again laid up, at this time in Dubai, 

so as to minimize the positioning 

voyage. 

Sistership NIEDERSACHSEN met with a 

similar fate. Both ships were sold to 

foreign buyers after seven years of 

which they had spent more than half 

idling in lay-up. 

135

The tanker adventure had cost the 

owner a fortune but he survived 

without outside assistance. 

All loans had been redeemed by 

1981, five years after commissioning 

of the ships, thanks to revenues of 

the rest of the fleet. From that time 

onwards Egon Oldendorff solely 

relied on his common sense and 

136 

tt NIEDERSACHSEN on her trial trip. Note incomplete painting of weatherdeck 

his shipping know-how. He never 

considered again to look at governmental 

shipping programmes of 

whatever nature, nor would he be 

lured by subsidies. This was the time 

he left the German Shipowners’ 

Association, having been a member 

of many years and having taken 

active part in several of its committees. 

The association had failed to adjust 

its membership fees to changed 

circumstances. Fees had traditionally 

been calculated on the basis of each 

member’s total GRT which resulted 

in owners of large bulk carriers 

and supertankers paying many times 

over the fees due from owners of 

smaller tramp vessels. Yet, the latter 

had equal voting rights even though 

their problems differred materially 

from those of the owners of larger 

units. With no alteration in sight, 

Egon Oldendorff left the association, 

simultaneously with Emden shipowner 

Hans Heinrich Schulte who 

also owned large bulk carriers. As 

customary at that time whenever 

shipping matters were concerned the 

press misinterpreted the move and 

suspected quarrels over collective 

bargaining agreements as the reason. 

The German Shipowners’ Association 

and the trade unions negotiated such 

agreements which were binding on 

all members of the association and 

which even the majority of nonmembers 

would normally abide by.

tt SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN during trials. 

88) SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN – 

1976-1983 

DJZN – turbine tankship 

121,542 GRT/239,800 tdw – 

287,037 cubic metres 



two steamturbines, 32,000 HP/ 

23,538 kW, made by Kraftwerks 

Union AG, 15.5 knots 

19.9.1975 launched. 2.2.1976 

completed by Howaldtswerke- 

Deutsche Werft AG, Kiel (No. 77) 

as SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN for Trave 

Schiffahrts GmbH & Co KG., 

Lübeck (DEU), Egon Oldendorff 



Co., as bareboat charterers, 

Panamanian (PAN) flag. 5.9.1981 

laid up off Dubai. March 1983 left 

Fujairah Roads. 8.2.1983 re-flagged 

to Germany (DEU). 17.2.1983 sold 

to C. Y. Tung Interocean Petroleum 

Carriers Inc., Monrovia (LBR), 

Island Navigation Corporation 

(Ship Management) Ltd. appointed 

as managing owners, renamed 

ENERGY RENOWN. 26.5.1983 arrived 

at Semangka Bay for service as a 

storage tanker up to March 1990. 

1987 managers Island Navigation 

Co. International Ltd.. 1989 sold 

to Great Dolphin Shipping Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR), managers as 

before. 1991 renamed NEW 

RENOWN. 11.2.1993 arrived 

at Semangka Bay, for service 

as storage vessel. End of 1995 

still there. 

137

tt NIEDERSACHSEN 

138 

Loaded to her marks at Rotterdam 

89) NIEDERSACHSEN – 1976-1983 

DKNM – turbine tankship 

121,452 GRT/239,800 tdw – 




two steam turbines, 32,000 HP/ 

23,872 kW, made by Kraftwerks 

Union AG, 15.75 knots 

12.12.1975 launched. 31.3.1976 

completed by Howaldtswerke- 

Deutsche Werft AG, Kiel (No. 78) 

as NIEDERSACHSEN for Trave Schifffahrts 

GmbH. & Co. KG., Lübeck 

(DEU), Egon Oldendorff, Lübeck, 

appointed as manager. May 1977 

until October 1978 laid up at 

Geltinger Bucht. 27. 10.1978 

sailed Rotterdam. 2.1.1979 


1979 transferred to Holsatia 

Shipping Co., Panama (PAN) as 

bareboat charterers until 1981. 

9.2.1983 laid up off Dubai and reflagged 

to Germany. 25.3.1983 off 

Bahrain. 9.2.1983 sold to E. G. E. 

Embiricos / Ninemia Maritime Co. 

SA., Piraeus (GRC), renamed 

NINEMIA. 15.12.1984 when on 

a voyage to Kharg Island in 

ballast hit by an Iraqui rocket in 

position 27.50 N / 50.54 E about 

80 miles west of Kangan, causing 

a fire on board, water inrush, 

crew abandoned the ship. 

20.12.1984 arrived at Dubai in 

tow. Repairs found not to be 

economical. Sold to Smit Tak 

International Ocean Towage 

& Salvage Co., Rotterdam (DU), 

renamed MIA. Left Dubai 

11.2.1985 in tow for Kaohsiung, 

where arrived 22.3.1985 in tow 

of SMIT NEW YORK. 11.5.1985 

demolition commenced Shyeh 

Sheng Huat Steel & Iron Works 

Co. Ltd., Kaohsiung.

◆ 

Sunderland-Built 

15,000 tdw 

Tweendeckers 

◆ 

For the first time in his company’s 

post-war history Egon Oldendorff, 

for a period of three years, did not 

commission a newbuilding because 

funds were tied up in the large 

tankers. The six SD14 type highly 

versatile multi purpose ships 

delivered in the early 70s by British 

shipyard Austin & Pickersgill 

performed very satisfactorily in 

worldwide tramping. Bremer Vulkanbuilt 

multi-purpose freighters and 

Seebeck Type 36L vessels were better 

suited for liner trading, being somewhat 

too sophisticated for pure tramp 

operations. 

Solid business relations developed 

between Oldendorff and the British 

shipbuilders who by completing 

altogether nine standardized 

freighters for Egon Oldendorff had 

delivered the largest British-built 

series to any one German owner 

since the end of World War I, a 

statistical item worth recording in the 

book of shipping history. The British 

shipbuilding industry, world leaders 

in pre-WW I times, had then built 

rather many ships for German 

account but from the 1920s onwards 

the majority of German orders went 

to domestic yards. 

Sunderland at the mouth of River 

Wear has a long shipbuilding history 

and in 1819 saw the highest 

concentration of shipyards in the 

United Kingdom. The shipyards of 

S.P.Austin & Sons Ltd., founded in 

1826, and of William Pickersgill & 

Sons Ltd. merged in 1954 to become 

Austin & Pickersgill Ltd. and in 1968 

amalgamated with Bartram & Sons 

Ltd., a shipyard founded in 1838. An 

extensive renovation programme 

commenced in 1954 enabled the yard 

to construct ships of up to 40,000 

tdw. The yard was taken over in 1957 

by a consortium under the leadership 

of Greek-British tanker owners, London 

& Overseas Freighters Ltd. 

(LOFs) which in 1970 became sole 

proprietors. Thanks to the initiative 

of Greek shipowners Basil Mavroleon 

and George Papalios, ASP designed 

the SD14 type of Liberty replacement 

freighter officially named ‘Shelter 

Deck 14,000 tons deadweight’ and 

made it a tremendous success. The 

lead ship of the series cost £ Stg 

900,000, considerably less than tramp 

ships of comparable size offered by 

competing shipyards. Spartan equipment 

was the secret. The standard 

139

SD14 freighter GLOBE TRADER at Bridgetown/Barbados on 6.4.1993 (Photograph: Eilhart Buttkus) 

140

type had neither mast houses nor 

cargo battens nor shifting boards. 

One would search in vain for 

teakwood doors or hand rails in 

companionways. The SD14 became 

the only Liberty replacement to 

emulate its forerunner’s austerity to 

the hilt and assumed its role as a 

successful workhorse of the seas. 

The orderbook filled rapidly. 

Initially trampship owners had to 

accept delivery times of up to three 

years despite an output of one ship 

per month. Austin & Pickersgill 

exclusively produced SD14s for more 

than a decade for a total number of 

130 units, a record unbroken to this 

day. More than an additional 70 ships 

of the same type were built under 

licence in Greece, the Argentine and 

in Brazil. 

Austin & Pickersgill, just like the 

builders of other replacement type 

ships, offered optional equipment at 

extra cost, and many owners made 

use of that facility, preferably by 

ordering heavier cargo handling gear 

exceeding the basic 5-ton derricks. 

mv GLOBE TRADER (FotoFlite) 

The majority opted for the 10-ton 

version plus additional heavy-lift 

derricks. Egon Oldendorff had the 

lead ship fitted with one each 60-ton 

and 30-ton derrick, and the next 

three to follow received one 100-ton 

derrick in lieu of the 60-tonner. 

Most owners accepted the builders’ 

suggestion and installed the ‘5RND68’ 

type slow-running Sulzer diesel 

engine, licence-manufactured by 

many suppliers including Hawthorn, 

Leslie & Co. Ltd. and G.Clark N.E.M. Ltd. 

of Wallsend. As time went on certain 

modifications took place. For 

example, the bridge of the later units 

was given a facelift, but by and large 

the outward appearance remained as 

originally designed with 

superstructure and engineroom 

between holds Nos. 4 and 5, and a 

slanting bow without a bulb. Only 

Brazil-built SD14s had a tweendeck 

in No. 5 hold. Modified freeboard 

regulations increased deadweight 

capacity to about 15,000 tonnes 

without affecting the basic design. 

141

SD14 type GOOD FAITH with a deck cargo of construction material, wearing the Rhenania Shipping Corporation funnel mark (FotoFlite) 

90) GOOD FAITH – 1979 – D5SM – 

cargo motorship ‘SD 14’ type – 

fulldecker 

9187 GRT/15,060 tdw – 



1 derrick of 100 t, 1 derrick of 30 t 

142 



to main deck 


4-cyl. diesel engine, 5588 kW, 

made by G. Clark & N. E. M. Ltd., 

Sunderland, under licence of 

Sulzer, 15 knots 

26.6.1979 launched for Westfalia 

Shipping Corp., Singapore. 



(No. 1394), as GOOD FAITH for 

Rhenania Shipping Corp. 

(Liberia), Monrovia (LBR), Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck, appointed 

as managers. 1994 transferred 

to Halfmoon Shipping Corp., 

Monrovia (LBR). 1996 still 

trading.

SD14 type FUTURE HOPE on the Nieuwe Waterweg. Funnel mark: Holsatia Shipping Corporation (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

91) FUTURE HOPE – 1979-1993 

D5SN – cargo motorship 


9187 GRT/15,060 tdw – 21,324 

cubic metres grain – 170 TEU – 





to main deck 



G. Clark & N. E. M. Ltd. under 


21.6.1979 launched for Westfalia 

Shipping Corp., Singapore. 20.11. 

1979 completed by Austin & 

Pickersgill Ltd., Sunderland (No. 

1395) as FUTURE HOPE for Rhenania 


1982 transferred to Holsatia Shipping 

Co., Monrovia. January 1993 

transferred to Crossdale Investment 

Inc., Limassol (CYP), mgr. Reederei 

‘NORD’ Klaus E. Oldendorff 

Ltd., Limassol, to be renamed (but 

never was). 26.1.1993 whilst on 

voyage from Dalian to Tomakomai 

in ballast one mile off Tomakomai/ 

West Breakwater Light beached and 

declared a total constructive loss. 

Leaking water in Nos. 2 and 4 holds. 

15.3.1993 sold to Fukada Kaji 

K. K., Monrovia (LBR), ‘as is’, to 

be (but never was) renamed 

NORD HOPE. 24.5. refloated by 

her owner. Left Tomakomai 

4.7.1993 in tow for Shanghai 

to be broken up. 

143

144 

mv GLOBE TRADER living up to the reputation of SD14s as workhorses of the seven seas (FotoFlite) 

92) GLOBE TRADER – 1980 – 

D5SO – cargo motorship 


9187 GRT/15,060 tdw – 21,324 

cubic metres grain – 170 TEU – 





to main deck 



Clark Hawthorn Ltd., Wallsend, 


18.9.1979 launched. 19.1.1980 

completed by Austin & Pickersgill 

Ltd., Sunderland (No. 1396) 

as GLOBE TRADER for Holsatia 

Shipping Corp., Monrovia (LBR). 


Shipping Co., Monrovia. 1996 


Boat drill on board the same ship

◆ 

New Names, 

New Flags 

◆ 

The two ‘Trave’ Schiffahrtsgesellschaft 

tankers were not given family 

names. The three new SD14 

freighters registered for Liberia-based 

Oldendorff subsidiary Westfalia 

Shipping Corporation were named 

the GOOD FAITH, FUTURE HOPE and 

GLOBE TRADER and were the first 

newbuildings not to be registered at 

Lübeck and not to fly the German 

flag. Other Oldendorff ships already 

had foreign flags, such as the 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (8,841 GRT/ 

1956), flagged out to Liberia on 15 

June 1971 as the first German ship 

after the second world war. To a 

limited extent flagging out took place 

during the world economic crisis, 

mainly to countries such as Panama, 

Honduras, Liberia and Finland. When 

flagging out still was a new phenomenon 

shipowners would be unfairly 

criticised by the media, with comments 

occasionally bordering on slander 

and at times they saw themselves 

attacked as traitors. Only specialist 

publications presented an objective 

picture. The general public remained 

largely unaware of the real reasons. 

Those were twofold: rigid statutory 

manning scales and the level of seafarers’ 

wages, meanwhile among the 

highest in the world. As from the late 

60s, vintage German-flag ships found 

it increasingly difficult to compete 

with ships under flags of convenience. 

The age of a vessel had no bearing 

on the wage level, but perhaps this 

was not the salient point since no 

employer would get away with an 

‘age discount’ applied to wages. 

What really counted was the 

manning scale. Ships built in the 50s 

when costs played a less important 

role and when seafarers queued for 

jobs would be comparatively 

generously manned. As wages and 

employee benefit costs increased 

from about 1965 onwards, for a 5,000 

tdw freighter to have a crew of 32, or 

25 or even less did make all the 

difference. Even when manning 

scales were marginally relaxed 

permitting a reduction by, say, one 

messboy or unskilled engineroom 

worker the annual savings did not 

amount to very much. As the 

Hamburger Abendblatt daily wrote 

on 23 April 1971: „A German 

shipping company has demonstrated 

the relative importance of wages in 

profitability calculations against the 

background of foreign competition, 

based on the actuals of a German 

11,000 tdw freighter. That German 

flag ship with a crew of 40 has a 

daily wage bill of DM 3,300, 

compared with daily wages of DM 

145

1,850 for the same ship registered 

in Greece or in Liberia.“ 

Some relief came in the form of 

automation built into newbuildings. 

Automatically monitored and 

maintained propelling machinery 

could do with one certificated 

engineer less and considerably fewer 

greasers and motormen. Fully 

automated cargo handling gear and 

mechanical or automatic hatch covers 

helped to reduce deck crew, but 

such savings were restricted to 

newbuildings so equipped. Older 

ships with conventional gear and 

wooden hatch covers simply could 

not economically be retrofitted with 

labour-saving equipment. 

Reflagged ships would show a new 

home port and fly a different flag. It 

became fairly standard practice for 

such ships to be bareboat-chartered 

to subsidiaries in countries like Panama 

for periods not exceeding two 

years whilst the owners would retain 

the right to fly the German flag. 

German masters, senior officers and 

146 

engineers would as a rule be kept on 

board but ratings would be recruited 

from abroad, with Oldendorff 

attaching great importance to high 

standards of training. 

Egon Oldendorff began gradually 

to flag out older ships with a 

preference for Liberia, Singapore 

and Panama. Irrespective of flag 

Oldendorff ships, which had 

meanwhile changed their hull 

painting into grey, maintained their 

traditional standards of safety and 

service. With this overriding principle 

in mind, crews would be reduced 

wherever possible. Well-trained 

officers, engineers and ratings could 

be found in many seafaring nations. 

Not only did the crewing department 

meticulously stick to quality, 

a great deal of attention was also 

devoted to training. Therefore, 

Egon Oldendorff from 1985 onwards 

actively supported metal-working 

courses at the Travemünde school 

of navigation, attended by some 100 

EO ratings and petty officers. The 

measure had proved to be a full 

success with students and owners 

benefiting from improved proficiency 

levels. When Travemünde 

discontinued the courses after 1989 

an alternative was found at Bremen 

where the local nautical college 

maintained the training sailship 

DEUTSCHLAND since 1952. From November 

1992 EO seafarers were put 

through special courses laid on three 

times per annum for Oldendorff staff. 

The company absorbed travelling 

expenses, board and lodging and 

paid basic wages for the duration of 

the course. Subjects tought in week 

one included metal working 

techniques such as sawing, filing, 

boring, turning and welding, weeks 

two and three would be devoted to 

boat and fire drills. 

Certain ships were transferred to a 

number of Monrovia-based companies, 

as follows: HELGA OLDENDORFF, REGINA 

OLDENDORFF and Singapore-flag singledeckers 

ERNA OLDENDORFF as well as 

BIRTE OLDENDORFF went to Holsatia 

Shipping Corporation. Westfalia 

Shipping Corporation now owned the 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF. BIRTE OLDEN-

DORFF, KLAUS OLDENDORFF, DIETRICH 

OLDENDORFF and HANS OLDENDORFF 

(Singapore flag) came under Rhenania 

Shipping Corporation. Finally, Wursata 

Shipping Corporation became owners 

of the HINRICH OLDENDORFF, EIBE 

OLDENDORFF, HENNING OLDENDORFF, 

CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF and CHRISTIANE 

OLDENDORFF (the latter, like all other 

Nobiskrug-built singledeckers, flying 

the Singapore flag). The Lübeck 

company now acted as agents for the 

above companies. 

Egon Oldendorff responded to international 

competition with international 

flags, ordering ships where prices 

looked attractive and did not participate 

in the newbuilding boom on German 

shipyards fanned by government 

shipbuilding subsidies. No longer 

did he use the national shipowners’ 

association as a forum. All EO newbuildings 

that followed were delivered 

from foreign shipyards and flew 

other flags than that of Germany. 

For an interim period ships of the 

Wursata and Holsatia fleets had 

funnel marks of their own modelled 

on those of the parent company. 

mv CHRISTIANE OLDENDORFF in Savona/Italy in June 1978. (Photograph: Raymund Oberhem) 

Having sold all four 4,400 tdw ships in 1979/80 Egon Oldendorff withdrew from shortsea shipping 

147

Bulk carrier BALTIC MERMAID at Copenhagen. Note her famous namesake in the foreground. 

148

◆ 

Change 

of Generations - 

Ashore 

and Afloat 

◆ 

Wursata Shipping Corporation in 

1982 acquired a Panamax bulk carrier 

completed little earlier by Burmeister 

& Wain of Copenhagen for Liberian 

Interests and named her SEA SCOUT. 

One year later Egon Oldendorff 

ordered a sistership for account of 

Rhenania Shipping Corporation, 

commissioned in October 1984 as the 

MARINE RANGER. At the same time, 

Oldendorff took over the newbuilding 

contract for a third sistership 

originally ordered by troubled 

Wheelock Marden company, delivered 

on 30 June 1984 as the BALTIC MERMAID. 

As the only vessel of this trio she is 

container fitted with an intake of 

1,000 TEU subject to the necessary 

lashing etc. equipment being on 

board. The ships’ lines made possible 

the extraordinary low bunker 

consumption of about 37 tonnes of 

heavy fuel per day at a speed of 

nearly 15 knots laden and 16 knots 

in ballast which gave the three 

Danish-built ships an economical 

edge over identically-sized rivals. 

On her maiden voyage the MARINE 

RANGER sailed to Damman in Saudi 

Arabia and then continued to 

Mormugao in India to load a cargo of 

ore for Barcelona. Having disposed 

of its two supertankers in 1983, the 

Oldendorff fleet again expanded by 

annually adding new ships. 

The founder of the company did not 

live to witness the commissioning of 

the Panamax bulk carriers. He died 

on 9 May 1984, at the age of 84 

years. Starting young he had 

converted a small shipping company 

to a medium-sized tramp shipping 

operation. He had lost most of his 

fleet and rebuilt it after the second 

world war, and had renewed it 

entirely from the mid-sixties. 

His eldest son Klaus had decided 

to start his own shipping business. 

A qualified successor was there, 

the founder’s son Henning who had 

undergone comprehensive training 

and had also adopted a considerable 

deal of his father’s philosophy. 

The next couple of newbuildings 

were already under construction and 

had in fact been launched at Dalian 

Shipyard in China by the time the 

building contracts for the geared 

28,000 tdw bulk carriers were signed. 

Originally ordered by Hong Kong 

shipowner Y.K.Pao and somewhat 

149

later transferred to Wheelock Marden 

of Hong Kong, the ships were 

commissioned as the RIXTA OLDEN- 

DORFF (2) and REGINA OLDENDORFF (2), 

registered in Hong Kong for newlyfounded 

Egon Oldendorff (Hong 

Kong) Ltd. Hit by deteriorating 

freight rates, Wheelock Marden found 

it impossible to honour the contracts 

which forced the builders to sell the 

ships at a rock-bottom price, the 

150 

lowest ever paid for newbuildings of 

a similar description before or after 

this deal. In the same year a third 

sistership built two years before was 

acquired and re-named HELENA 

OLDENDORFF (2). 

The following newbuilding orders 

went to Sunderland. Egon Oldendorff 

had developed this new type of 

vessel called EcoFlex (for economy 

The graceful lines of the foreship of BALTIC MERMAID, photographed in January 1990 by 

Second Engineer Damir Maric on board meeting company ship, MARINE RANGER 

and flexibility) in close cooperation 

with Austin & Pickersgill. Oldendorff 

had discovered a gap in the market 

created not only by a preponderance 

of fast containership newbuildings in 

preference to large tweendeckers but 

also by scrapping of ageing vessels. 

The EcoFlex type replaced traditional 

liner vessels required in many trades 

to carry conventional generals as also 

semi-bulk cargoes, hazardous goods, 

steel products, pipes and tubes, 

construction material, machinery, 

forest products, as well as bagged 

and palletised goods. Many of those 

commodities are not suitable for 

containerization. Henning Oldendorff 

sensed the trend towards ships of 

about 23,000 tdw with a good 

container intake, fully fitted to carry 

conventional generals and bulk 

cargoes and adequately geared. 

Success proved him right. One 

decisive element was a very attractive 

price reduced further by contractual 

penalties paid by the shipyard for 

late deliveries. Actual building costs 

amounted to two times the contract 

price. Gerd-Dietrich Schneider 

devoted the lead article of his

shipping page in the Nordsee-Zeitung 

daily to the EcoFlex type: 

„Egon Oldendorff (Hong Kong) Ltd. 

have recently commissioned the first 

of two multi-purpose freighters, the 

DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (5), registered at 

Gibraltar and flying the British flag. 

The vessel had been ordered, together 

with sistership JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (3) 

due for delivery in mid-1987, from 

state-owned British Shipbuilders’ 

Sunderland-based North East 

Shipbuilders Ltd. and had been 

constructed by the Southwick 

shipyard (Austin & Pickersgill). When 

Blohm + Voss had completed finishing 

work for account of the original 

builders the ship delivered into a 

five-months timecharter with Shipping 

Corporation of India Ltd. of Bombay 

for two round voyages from the 

Continent/UK to India and v.v. Both 

newbuildings have been named and 

were launched on 3 November 1986. 

They have a bulbous bow, and their 

main engine consists of a MAN / B&W 

two-stroke supercharged diesel engine 

type 4L70MCE licence-manufactured 

by Clark Kincaid of Greenock, rated 

at 9,700 HP/95 rpm or 8,784 HP/92 

rpm for a service speed of 17/16.5 

knots consuming about 25.5 tonnes 

of heavy fuel or no more than 

11 tonnes at a speed of 11 knots. 

A 750 kW Siemens generator is 

coupled to the forward end of the 

main engine. The ship also has four 

auxiliary diesel engines. Bunker 

capacity of 1,200 tonnes gives 

cruising ranges of 18,500 or 28,000 

nautical miles at 16 or 11 knots, 

respectively. Ballast water capacity 

is 6,100 tonnes. 

Main dimensions are 187.4/178m 

length, 23m width, 13.5m moulded 

depth to weatherdeck, resp. 8.7m to 

tweendeck and 16.2m to poop deck. 

DIETRICH OLDENDORFF has been 

measured at 15,987.9 GRT / 

11,410.9 NRT. Her carrying capacity 

is 23,186 tdwat at 9.5m draft and 

about 15,600 tonnes at 7.4 m container 

draft. Panama Canal measurement 

amounts to 17,591 GRT / 14,351 NRT, 

Suez Canal figures are 17,436.6 GRT / 

14,131 NRT. Total displacement 

is about 30,800 tonnes. At 7.92 m 

St. Lawrence draft the ship has 

a deadweight capacity of 16,806 

tonnes, and 6,700 tonnes on a 

ballast draft of 4.8 m. 

The 24 crew are accommodated 

in single cabins. There are double 

cabins for the owners, for pilots and 

for the supercargo, plus accommodation 

for six Suez Canal crew. An 

open-air swimming pool has been 

fitted. All GRP lifeboats have been 

supplied by Robert Hatecke GmbH 

& Co.KG of Stade. Extensive navigational 

equipment includes, i.a., a 

satellite navigator and ditto communication, 

two radar sets, one gyro 

compass with auto pilot, Loran and 

weather chart recorder. A universal 

computer and a trim indicator serve 

to monitor cargo operations.“ 

151

ECOFLEX freighter DIETRICH OLDENDORFF at the Felixstowe container terminal (FotoFlite) 

152

Bulk carrier SEA SCOUT (Skyfotos) 

93) SEA SCOUT – 1982-1993 – 

ELBN8 – cargo motorship – 


33,343 GRT/1990: 35,694 GT/ 

63,990 tdw – 78,730 cubic metres 

grain – 8 passengers 


beam on frames, 18 m depth 



the builders, 14.8 knots 

October 1981 launched. November 

1981 completed by Burmeister & 

Wain Skibsvaerft A/S, Copenhagen 

(No. 885) as KAREN T for Phillip 

Bros. / Karen T Shipping Co., 

Monrovia (LBR), Wallem Shipmanagement 

Ltd. appointed as 

managers. 1982 sold to Wursata 

Shipping Corporation, Monrovia 

(LBR), renamed SEA SCOUT. 1990 

new measurement: 35,694 GT. 

End 1992 transferred to Crossdale 

Investment Inc., Limassol (CYP), 

mgr. Reederei ‘NORD’ Klaus E. 

Oldendorff Ltd., Limassol, renamed 

NORDSCOUT. 1993 sold 

to Nordscout Shipping Co., 

Limassol (CYP), managers as 

before. 1996 still trading. 

153

154 

Bulk carrier BALTIC MERMAID 

94) BALTIC MERMAID – 1984 – 

3FXX2 – cargo motorship – 


35,319 GT/64,145 tdw – 


1000 TEU – 10 passengers 


beam on frames, 18 m depth to 

maindeck 

one diesel engine, 9268 kW, 

made by the builders, 14.8 knots 

May 1984 launched for Cape 

Blanco Shipping Co., Panama. 

30.6.1984 completed by Burmeister 

& Wain Skibsvaerft A/S. Copenhagen 

(No. 912) as BALTIC MERMAID 

for Partenreederei MS ‘Baltic 

Mermaid’, Panama (PAN), Egon 

Oldendorff appointed as manager. 

1991 transferred to Egon Oldendorff 

(Liberia), Monrovia (LBR). 


Captain Peter Fengler and 

Chief Engineer Siegfried 

Hanselmann at the handingover 

ceremony, visibly pleased 

with their new ship

BALTIC MERMAID. Note the elegant hull form and container fittings on hatch covers. 

155

156 

Bulk carrier MARINE RANGER, fresh from the builders’ yard with Rhenania’s funnelmark 

95) MARINE RANGER – 1984 – 

ELDT6 – cargo motorship – 


35,886 GT/63,940 tdw – 78,790 




maindeck 



the builders, 14.8 knots 

10.4.1984 launched. 8.10.1984 

completed by Burmeister & Wain 

Skibsvaerft A/S, Copenhagen 

(No. 913) as MARINE RANGER 

for Halfmoon Shipping Corporation, 

Monrovia (LBR). 


96) + 97) see pages 158/159. 

Approaching the port of Rotterdam. (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch)

mv HELENA OLDENDORFF loading steel products at Antwerp (Photograph: Guido Coolens) 

98) HELENA OLDENDORFF (2) – 1984- 

3FLS2 (8118815) – cargo 

motorship – geared bulkcarrier 

18,469 GT/28,354 tdw – 

39,245 cubic metres grain 



maindeck 



Hudong Shipyard, Shanghai, 

under licence of B&W, 14.5 knots 

10.9. 1983 launched. February 

1984 completed by Jiangnan 

Shipyard, Shanghai (No. 2140) as 

NOBLE RIVER for Bardolf Shipping 

Inc., Panama (PAN), Hongkong 

Shipping Agencies appointed as 

managers. 1986 sold to Parten- 

reederei MS ‘Helena Oldendorff’, 

Panama (PAN), Egon Oldendorff 

(Hong Kong) Ltd., appointed as 

managers, renamed HELENA 

OLDENDORFF. 1996 still trading. 

157

158 

Multi-purpose freighter RIXTA OLDENDORFF (2) (photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

96) RIXTA OLDENDORFF (2) – 1986- 

VGPA – cargo motorship – 

geared bulkcarrier 

18,121 GT/28,031 tdw – 


195 m length over all, 23 m 


to maindeck 



the builders under licence of B & 

W, 14.5 knots 

27.7.1983 launched as MANILA 

SPIRIT for World Wide Shipping 

Agency Ltd. in Hongkong, 

Monrovia (LBR), thereafter 

transferred to Wheelock Marine 

Services Ltd., Ltd. Hongkong. 

14.5.1986 completed by Dalian 

Shipyard, Dalian (No. B270/7) as 

RIXTA OLDENDORFF for Egon 

Oldendorff (Hong Kong) Ltd., 

Hong Kong (GBR). 1991 (HGK). 


RIXTA OLDENDORFF (2) and sistership REGINA OLDENDORFF (2) delivered by 

Dalian Shipyard China inside ten days in May 1986.

REGINA OLDENDORFF (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

The sisterships at the building yard. 

97) REGINA OLDENDORFF (2) – 1986- 

VPGB – cargo motorship – 


18,121 GT/28,031 tdw – 39,400 

cubic metres grain 

195 m length over all, 23 m beam 

on frames, 14.3 m depth to 

maindeck 


diesel engine, 7870 kW, made 

by the builders under licence 

of B & W, 14.5 knots 

7.11.1983 launched as ST. CROIX 

for World Wide Shipping Agency 

Ltd., Hongkong, Monrovia. Later 

transferred to Wheelock Marine 

Services Ltd., Monrovia (LBR). 

24.5.1986 completed by Dalian 

Shipyard, Dalian (No. B270/8) as 

REGINA OLDENDORFF for Egon 


Hong Kong (GBR). 1991 (HGK). 


159

160 

ECOFLEX-freighter DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (5) (Photograph Rudi Kleijn) 

Entering the port of Busan as the T. A. EXPLORER (Photograph: Raymund Oberhem) 

99) DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (5) – 1987- 

ZDAZ6 (8503034) – cargo motorship 

– multi-purpose carrier 

17,101 GT/22,800 tdw – 31,447 

cubicmetres grain – 1000 TEU 



maindeck 



Clark Kincaid Ltd., Greenock, under 

licence of MAN/B&W, 17 knots 

26.3.1986 launched. February 

1987 completed by North East 

Shipbuilders Ltd., Sunderland, 

(No. 1431) as DIETRICH OLDENDORFF 

for Egon Oldendorff KG., Gibraltar 

(GBR). 1989 transferred to Egon 


Hong Kong (GBR), renamed 

T. A. EXPLORER. 1991 (HKG). 1994 

transferred to Rosewater Maritime 

Inc., Monrovia (LBR). 1996 still 

trading.

Egon Oldendorff’s last newbuilding from Great Britain, the JOHANNA 

OLDENDORFF (2), completed on 8.7.1987 by North East Shipbuilders Ltd. 

The company was created through the merger of shipyards on rivers 

Tyne and Wear but could not save Northern English shipbuilding 

from eventual demise. 

The main engine of JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (2) was constructed at 

Greenock and taken to the Sunderland shipyard by a heavy-lift freighter 

161

162 

Launching of JOHANNA OLDENDORFF. 

JOHANNA OLDENDORFF being fitted out at Bremerhaven (Photograph: Peter Voss) 

100) JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1987- 

ZDBE9 – cargo motorship – 

multi-purpose carrier 

15,988 GT/1991: 17,101 GT/ 


grain – 764 TEU 



maindeck 


made by MAN/B&W, 15 knots 

3.11.1986 launched. 8.7.1987 

completed by North East 

Shipbuilders Ltd., Sunderland 

(No. 1432) as JOHANNA OLDENDORFF 

for Egon Oldendorff KG, Gibraltar 

(GBR). 1987 renamed BEGONA. 

1989 renamed JOHANNA OLDENDORFF, 

1989 renamed T. A. VOYAGER. 1994 

transferred to Rosewater Maritime 

Inc., Monrovia (LBR). 1996 still 

trading.

◆ 

Favourable 

Times for 

New Ships 

◆ 

Those were the last newbuildings for 

Oldendorff from British yards and 

indeed the last deepsea freighters 

completed by state-owned British 

Shipbuilders. Henning Oldendorff 

had vainly tried to acquire the Southwick 

shipyard (formerly Austin & 

Pickersgill) and the modern Pallion 

shipyard but under pressure from 

Brussels the UK Government, sole 

owners of British Shipbuilders, was 

forced to shut down all shipbuilding 

activities. Having sold some older 

units, Henning Oldendorff continued 

expanding his fleet. Overall 

circumstances favoured this policy. 

Despite massive yard closures 

shipyards still had substantial but 

under-utilized building capacities 

which depressed newbuilding prices. 

Financially troubled shipowners were 

forced to sell surplus tonnage at low 

prices. Now it paid for Oldendorff to 

have had a long-term presence in 

many sectors of the market and to 

have acquired a solid reputation of 

reliable execution of voyages and 

thoroughly professional fulfilment of 

contracts. Egon Oldendorff also made 

use of the opportunity of taking ships 

on bareboat charter at attractive 

rates. This type of charter is based on 

trust and reputation since as in the 

case of motor car leasing the 

bareboat charterer assumes full 

responsibility for maintenance and 

repairs. Oldendorff, known to treat 

bareboat tonnage as if it were owned 

also obtained purchase options most 

of which were later exercised. 

(Under a bareboat charter the 

charterer hires from the owner the 

‘bare’ ship and is liable for crewing, 

insurance and maintenance and 

repairs of ship and machinery.) 

The next two ships to wear the EO 

livery joined the fleet in 1987, on the 

basis described above, the 23,818 

tdw multi-purpose freighters THEEKAR 

and AL MUHARRAQ, owned by United 

Arab Shipping Co. of Kuwait, built in 

Great Britain and in South Korea. 

They were re-named the CHRISTOFFER 

OLDENDORFF (3) and MAGDALENA 

OLDENDORFF (2). Egon Oldendorff 

exercised the contractual purchase 

options and re-sold the ships in 1988 

and 1993. 

After a long interlude a German-built 

vessel again became part of the 

Oldendorff fleet in 1988, albeit from 

the then people’s own Warnowwerft 

of Eastern Germany. Prior to being 

delivered to Egon Oldendorff 

(Liberia) Inc. of Monrovia on 

163

Deck cranes being fitted at the Lübeck suppliers’ plant to Warnemünde ‘Passat XL’ type multi-purpose freighter MARIA OLDENDORFF. 

Egon Oldendorff took over the building contract originally signed by Yugoslav owners. 

164 

21 January 1988, MARIA OLDENDORFF (2) 

paid a short visit to Lübeck, the 

headquarters of her owners, to have 

cargo cranes installed at the outfitting 

pier of Orenstein & Koppel/ 

LMG. She was to undergo a much 

bigger operation a little later. The 

semi-containership only performed 

one trip out to the Far East in her 

original configuration as the 

lengthening by a midship section 

of 16m had already been firmly 

contracted with Jurong Shipyard Ltd. 

at Singapore. It was found that a 

20,000 tonner with a container intake 

of 1,100 TEU had a much better 

market acceptance than the 18,000 tdw 

and 930 TEU version supplied by 

the builders. The latter, part of the

GDR shipbuilding industry was not 

sufficiently flexible to alter the basic 

parameters of the ship during the 

construction phase, and another 

shipyard had to be found for the 

lengthening job. The same procedure 

was repeated two years later in the 

case of the BEATE OLDENDORFF. The 

name, that of shipowner Henning 

Oldendorff’s spouse, was a first in 

the Oldendorff fleet. 

As part of a deal involving six 

containerships, Egon Oldendorff 

purchased, in 1988, two fully cellular 

sisterships, built in 1985 by Hyundai 

in South Korea, each of 33,864 tdw 

and with a container intake of 1,800 

TEU. Originally scheduled to be 

named BIRTE OLDENDORFF (4) and TETE 

OLDENDORFF (3), the vessels when 

delivered into a period timecharter 

with Senator Linie of Bremen were 

christened LONDON SENATOR and 

TOKYO SENATOR. The remaining four 

ships went to operating companies of 

the Bremer Vulkan conglomerate and 

to Dutch shipowners, Vroon N.V. 

with Egon Oldendorff acting as 

broker against a commission for 

Senator Linie, the brainchild of 

former Hapag-Lloyd executive deputy 

chairman Karl-Heinz Sager, 

commenced a fully containerized 

round-the-world service with 

chartered tonnage in 1987, offering 

fortnightly sailings on one east-bound 

and one west-bound route linking 

the world’s major trading areas. 

Founding members of the new 

venture included Bugsier-, Reedereiund 

Bergungs-GmbH., Bremer Vulkan, 

Unterweser Reederei GmbH, and 

several other parties. Egon Oldendorff 

bought Senator Linie shares 

worth DM 2 million in 1988, when 

also Hamburg-Südamerikanische 

Dampfschifffahrts-Gesellschaft Eggert 

& Amsinck became shareholders in 

Senator Linie. 

Kingston Maritime Co. of Monrovia in 

1988/89 acquired two multi-purpose 

freighters, the JYTTE SKOU and BENNY 

SKOU which under timecharter to 

Hapag-Lloyd AG had been trading as 

HAMMONIA and HOLSATIA. The major 

parts of the ships’ hulls had been 

built in 1982 by Nippon Kokan 

shipyard but the after bodies 

including the engine rooms had 

formerly been parts of very stylish 

1968/69 Danish-built liner vessels. 

When handed over to their new 

owners the ships delivered into 

timecharters with Tasman Asia 

Shipping Company and were 

accordingly named T. A. NAVIGATOR 

and T. A. MARINER instead of HILLE 

OLDENDORFF (3) and IMME OLDENDORFF 

(3) as per EO nomenclature. TA is 

the acronym prefix found on all 

Tasman Asia Shipping Company 

(TASC) ships. This New Zealand 

shipping company has since become 

one of Oldendorff’s most valued 

clients. One of the largest New 

Zealand companies in the forestry 

industry, Tasman Pulp and Paper 

Company Ltd., merged in 1981 with 

Fletcher Holdings and Challenge 

Corporation to form Fletcher 

Challenge Limited, the country’s 

largest public company. The style of 

the affiliated shipping company 

became Tasman Asia Shipping Company 

in December 1988. Since then 

TASC has chartered several 

Oldendorff ships, mostly on period 

165

Containership LONDON SENATOR (Photograph: Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 

contracts. TASC rapidly developed 

into an important independent liner 

operator with representatives and 

agents throughout the area covered. 

The bulk of northbound cargo is 

generated by the line’s parent 

company and consists of 

containerised newsprint and 

cardboard. Other containerised 

commodities include refrigerated 

166 

goods and dairy products, granulated 

nickel from New Caledonia 

and break bulk cargoes such as 

steel, paper and timber. Southbound, 

the line carries consumer goods, 

chemicals and textiles in containers 

and conventional cargo such as 

motorcar parts, steel, machinery, 

built-up motor vehicles and 

construction material. Tasman Asia 

had a service frequency of three 

sailings per month in 1992. Egon 

Oldendorff multi-purpose freighters 

are ideally suited for this particular 

cargo mix. 

In 1989/90 Egon Oldendorff 

bareboat-chartered, for a period of 

five years, two 23,476 tdw geared

multi purpose freighters owned by 

Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. and 

renamed them HARMEN OLDENDORFF (2) 

and CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (3). 

Similar contracts were concluded 

between October 1990 and January 

1991 for three more Hyundai 

Merchant Marine vessels, at just 

under 30,000 tdw among the largest 

tweendeckers in the world merchant 

fleet with a satisfactory container 

intake of 1,100 TEU. The ships have 

an excellent cubic capacity of some 

1,332,900 cu ft each and their fuel 

consumption of 23 tonnes makes 

them economical to run. All five 

Korean vessels had to be adapted 

to Oldendorff standard at considerable 

expense, including such 

modifications to crew accommodation 

as showers and changing 

rooms. The ships were given the EO 

livery and had their names painted 

in Korean characters and Latin letters 

since they initially remained in the 

Korean register. 

Newbuilding negotiations with 

Hyundai, aided by amicable relations 

between the two companies, 

eventually resulted in Egon 

Oldendorff ordering in early 1989 a 

series of four attractively priced 

31,000 tdw, 2,100 TEU containerships, 

in response to Senator Linie’s 

requirements for additional tonnage 

at favourable conditions. Acting as a 

broker Egon Oldendorff undertook to 

find buyers for three units, and the 

building contracts were taken over by 

Bernhard Schulte (AMERICAN SENATOR), 

Peter Döhle Schiffahrts KG (EUROPEAN 

SENATOR) and Kommanditgesellschaft 

Projex (ASIAN SENATOR). Delivered 

on 25 September 1991 the GERMAN 

SENATOR was to have been an 

Oldendorff ship, but whilst the ship 

was being fitted out at the builders’ 

yard Oldendorff could not resist the 

attractive proposition to sell the ship 

to clients of Norddeutsche Vermögensanlage 

GmbH of Hamburg which 

appointed Reederei Karl Schlüter of 

Rendsburg as managing owners. 

One year earlier Egon Oldendorff 

had bought the containership MONTE 

PASCOAL, completed in 1980 by Swan 

Hunter-owned Walker Shipyard of 

Newcastle as the DUNEDIN for British 

account. The ship was lengthened 

by inserting a 26 metres section at 

Lübecker Flenderwerke increasing her 

deadweight capacity to 23,990 tdw and 

her container capacity to 1,400 TEU. 

The ship continued her time charter 

with Hamburg-Süd and, therefore, 

did not change her name. When the 

charterers switched her to their 

Columbus service linking Australia, 

New Zealand and North America 

the ship was renamed COLUMBUS 

OLIVOS. 

Egon Oldendorff (Asia) Ltd. was 

established in Hong Kong in 1989, 

in recognition of the importance 

of Far East and South East Asian 

shipping and shipbuilding. Ever 

since Hong Kong joined the United 

Kingdom in 1814 as a Crown Colony 

the city kept expanding in terms 

of population (in excess of six million, 

thereof 250,000 foreigners) and of 

importance as a port and a trading 

centre. Hong Kong is one of the 

most important shipping hubs and 

167

the domicile of a number of wellknown 

shipping companies. Some 

22,000 deepsea ships call at Hong 

Kong per annum, plus 56,000 river 

and shortsea freighters. Container 

throughput in 1996 will exceed the 

ten million TEU mark, rivalled only 

by Singapore. Thus, Hong Kong was 

168 

selected as the site of Oldendorff’s 

first overseas branch, managed initially 

by Richard J. Churchman and later by 

Raoul Noël. A part of the Oldendorff 

fleet is being managed from Hong 

Kong in a bid to be geographically 

closer to Asian markets. After more 

than five years in Hong Kong, the 

company moved to Singapore at the 

end of 1995 and changed its name to 

Oldendorff Asia (Pte.) Ltd. Currently, 

around 20 vessel are controlled commercially, 

of which some 50 percent 

is tonnage owned by Egon Oldendorff. 

The focus of the competitive side is 

on Sale & Purchase and projects. 

Multi-purpose freighter ECKERT OLDENDORFF in typical Hong Kong midstream barge container handling operation (Photograph Dunelm Public Relations)

CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF (3) 


1987-1988 

9KGU – cargo motorship – 

multi-purpose vessel 

10,693/15,122 GRT/15,000/23,618 

tdw – 30.293 cubic meter grain – 

434 TEU 



one two-stroke 6-cyl. diesel engine, 

102) MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1987-1993 

9KHF/ELNH5 – cargo motorship – 


15,387 GRT/23,740 tdw – 31,418 

cubic metres grain 



maindeck 

12,500 HP/9,191 kW, made by John 

Kincaid & Co Ltd., Greenock, under 

licence of B&W, 16 knots 

31.10.1977 launched. February 

1978 completed by Hyundai Shipbuilding 

& Heavy Industries, Ulsan 

(No. 2369) as THEEKAR for United 

Arab Shipping Co. (S.A.G.), Kuwait 

(KWT). 1980 owner changed style 

to United Arab Shipping Co. SAG 


made by John Kincaid & Co., 

Greenock under licence of B&W, 

16 knots 

25.4.1978 launched. June 1978 

completed by Scotstoun Marine 

Ltd., Scotstoun (No. 234) as 

AL MUHARRAQ for United Arab 

(UASC). 1981 transferred to Iraqi 

(IRQ) registry, 1984 transferred to 

Kuwait (KWT) registry. 1987 transferred 

to Egon Oldendorff as bareboat 

charterers, renamed CHRISTOF- 

FER OLDENDORFF. 1988 bought after 

exercising purchase option and 

immediately sold to LCI Shipholdings 

Inc., Monrovia (Central 

Gulf Lines) (LBR), BV Netherlands 

Shipping Co.(S.A.G.), Kuwait 

(KWT). 1980 owner changed style 

to United Arab Shipping Co. SAG 

(UASC). 1987 taken on period 

bareboat charter by Egon 

Oldendorff, renamed MAGDALENA 

OLDENDORFF. 1990 purchase option 

exercised and registered for Egon 

Freight Agencies appointed as 

managers, renamed HICKORY. 1989 

sold to Trade Ever Shipping Inc., 

Kingston (VCT), Worlder Shipping 

Ltd., appointed as managers, 

renamed TRADE EVER. 1991 


1995 sold to Unithai Line Public 

Co., (THA), renamed KORAT NAVEE. 



(LBR). 1993 sold to Bright 

River Shipping Ltd., Monrovia 

(LBR), renamed BRIGHT RIVER. 

1993 sold to Siberla Marine Ltd., 

Limassol (CYP), managers 

Transmed Shipping Ltd., renamed 

HARIS. 1996 still trading. 

169

Multi-purpose freighter MARIA OLDENDORFF with a full cargo of steel tubes (FotoFlite) 

103) MARIA OLDENDORFF (2) – 1988- 

ELHR9 – cargo motorship – 


13,886 GRT/18,235 tdw – 24,634 

cubic metres grain – 932 TEU 



to maindeck 

170 


made by VEB Dieselmotorenwerk 

Rostock, under licence of Sulzer 

16 knots 

21.8.1967 launched. 21.1.1988 

completed by VEB Warnowwerft, 

Warnemünde (No. 285) as 

MARIA OLDENDORFF for Egon 

Oldendorff (Liberia) Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR). 18.4.1988 

arrived at Singapore. July 1988 

lengthened at Jurong Shipyard 

Ltd., Singapore, by 16.01 m. 

Now 15,504 GT/20,380 tdw, 



13.40 m depth, 28.386 cubic 

metres grain, 1100 TEU. 

1991 renamed T. A. ADVENTURER. 

1996 still trading.

104) BIRTE OLDENDORFF (4) – 1988- 

3EI03 – cargo motorship – 

gearless containership 

22,677 GRT/33,863 tdw – 42,955 




to maindeck 

one two-stroke, 6-cyl. diesel 

engine, 16,980 HP/12,490 kW, 

made by the builders under 


10.8.1984 launched. 1985 

completed by Hyundai Heavy 

Industries Co. Ltd., Ulsan (No. 

362) as WORLD CHAMPION for 

Gresham Shipping Ltd., Panama 

(PAN), Hyundai Merchant Marine 


1985 renamed ASTORIA. 1986 

renamed COMMANDER. 1987 

renamed SCANDUTCH HISPANIA. 1989 

sold to Egon Oldendorff (Liberia) 

Ltd. , Monrovia (LBR), renamed 

LONDON SENATOR for a long-term 

charter with Senator Linie, Bremen. 

1991 renamed DSR OAKLAND. 

1992 renamed VILLE DE CASTOR. 

1992 renamed BIRTE OLDENDORFF. 

1993 renamed MIXTECO. 1993 


(Liberia) Inc., bareboat charterers 

Rosewater Maritime Inc., 


MSC ANTONIA. 1995 still trading. 

Unusual for a containership on charter, BIRTE OLDENDORFF (4) has in 1992 (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

kept her owner’s livery and original name. 

BIRTE OLDENDORFF as DSR OAKLAND (FotoFlite) 

171

Containership TETE OLDENDORFF (3) thus far never traded under her original name. 

Shown here as the TOKYO SENATOR against the backdrop of the Dover chalk cliffs. 

105) TETE OLDENDORFF (3) – 1988- 

3WER3 – cargo motorship – 

gearless containership 

22,677 GRT/33,823 tdw – 42,955 




to maindeck 

172 

one two-stroke, 6-cyl. diesel 

engine, 16,980 HP/12,490 kW, 



1.10.1984 launched. 1985 



291) as PACIFIC PRIDE for Longevity 

Maritime SA., Panama (Pa). 1986 

renamed AZUMA. 1987 renamed 

SCANDUTCH MASSILIA. 1988 sold to 

Egon Oldendorff (Liberia) Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR), renamed TOKYO 

SENATOR for a long-term charter 

with Senator Linie, Bremen. 1991 

renamed DSR YOKOHAMA. 1993 

renamed MAYA. 1993 delivered 

into a bareboat charter with 

Rosewater Maritime Inc., Monrovia 

(LBR). 1995 renamed MSC 

GIORGIA. 1996 still trading.

Multi-purpose vessel HILLE OLDENDORFF also never traded under her original name. Pictured as the NZOL CHALLENGER. 

106) HILLE OLDENDORFF (3) – 1988- 

ELIL 9 – cargo motorship – 

geared shelterdecker 

9230/12,932 GT – 17,337/21,061 





to main deck 

one two-stroke 9-cyl. diesel 

engine, 10.800 HP/7,944 kW, 

made by Helsingör Skibsvaerft og 

Maskinbyggeri, under licence of 

B&W, 16.5 knots 

2.10.1968 launched. January 1969 

completed by Helsingör Skibsvaerft 

og Maskinbyggeri A/S, Helsingör 

(No. 386) as DITTE SKOU with 6582 

GRT/10,610 tdw for Ove Skou, 

Copenhagen (DNK). 1980 

transferred to Ove Skou Rederi 

AS, Copenhagen, manager Benny 

Skou. December 1981 renamed 

BENNY SKOU. 18.12.1981 at Yokohama. 

1982 aft ship attached to a 

completely new forward and 

cargo section by Nippon Kokan 

KK, Asano Dockyard, Yokohama, 

details since then as stated. 

7.3.1982 sailed Kobe. 1986 

renamed NEDLLOYD CARIBBEAN and 

management contract terminated. 

1987 renamed BENNY SKOU. 1987 

transferred to Ove Skou Shipping 

Pte. Ltd., Singapore (SGP), Ove 

Skou Rederi A/S appointed as 

managers. 1987 renamed 

HAMMONIA. 1988 sold to Kingston 

Maritime Co., Monrovia (LBR), 

Egon Oldendorff, appointed as 

managers, renamed T. A. NAVIGATOR. 

1993 renamed NZOL CHALLENGER. 


As the T. A. NAVIGATOR. (Photograph: Gerhard Fiebiger) 

173

174 

The same applies to the IMME OLDENDORFF (3): shown as the NZOL CRUSADER. (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

…and as the T. A. MARINER (Photograph: Gerhard Fiebiger) 

107) IMME OLDENDORFF (3) – 1989- 

ELIS8 – cargo motorship – 

geared shelterdecker 

9230/12,930 GT – 17,337/21,061 





to main deck 


engine, 10,800 HP/7,944 kW, 

made by Helsingör Skibsvaerft og 

Maskinbyggeri., under licence of 

B&W, 16.5 knots 

13.6.1968 launched. October 1968 

completed by Helsingör Skibsvaerft 

og Maskinbyggeri, Helsingör 

(No. 385) as DORTE SKOU for Ove 

Skou, Copenhagen (DNK). 1980 

transferred to Ove Skou Rederi 

AS, Copenhagen, manager Benny 

Skou. 30.1.1982 at Yokosuka. 

1982 aft ship attached to a 

completely new forward and 

cargo section by Nippon Kokan 

KK, Asano Dockyard, Yokohama, 

details since then as stated. 27.5. 

1982 sailed Yokohama. 1982 

renamed JYTTE SKOU. 1986 renamed 

NEDLLOYD CURACAO. 1987 renamed 

SINBAD VOYAGER and management 

contract terminated. 1987 transferred 

to ‘Jytte Skou’ O. Skou 

Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 

(SGP), Ove Skou Rederi A/S 


JYTTE SKOU. 1987 renamed HOLSATIA. 

1989 managers Skou International 

SA. 1989 sold to Kingston Marine 

Corp., Monrovia (LBR), Egon 

Oldendorff appointed as manager, 

renamed T. A. MARINER. 

1994 renamed NZOL CRUSADER. 

1996 still trading.

mv HANS OLDENDORFF (3) at Sydney (Marine Photography) 


1989-1996 

9VCF – cargo motorship – 


13,051 GRT/1991: 13,519 GT/ 


grain 



to maindeck 


engine, 9800 HP/6841 kW, made 

by Akasaka Tekkosho KK, Yaizu, 

14 knots 

11.6.1979 launched and in August 

1979 completed by Shin Kurushima 

at Kochi Jukogyo K.K., Kochi (No. 

2098) as FLORA ISLAND for Pacific 

Maritime Co., Tokyo (JPN). 1984 

owners’ style changed to Pacific 

Maritime Co. Ltd.. 1987 transferred 

to Queen Island Navigation SA., 

Panama (PAN). 1989 taken on a 

five-year bareboat period charter 

by Egon Oldendorff (Hong Kong) 

Ltd, registered for First Marine 

Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore 

(SGP), renamed HANS OLDENDORFF. 

1996 still trading, after the 

bareboat charter was extended. 

175

mv HARMEN OLDENDORFF at Norfolk/Virginia 

109) HARMEN OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1989- 

ELOL6 – cargo motorship – 


15,158 GRT/23,476 tdw – 33,542 




to maindeck 

176 


engine, 10,900 HP/8018 kW, 


Licence of B&W, 16 knots 

9.8.1982 launched. October 1982 



206) as HYUNDAI CON SIX for Asia 

Merchant Marine Co. Ltd., Ulsan 

(KOR). 1984 transferred to 

Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. 

Ltd., Ulsan. 1989 renamed CAPTAIN 

KERMADEC. 1989 taken on a fiveyear 

bareboat period charter by 

Egon Oldendorff. Renamed 

HARMEN OLDENDORFF. 1992 

delivered into a bareboat charter 

to Rosewater Maritime Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR). Ownership 

transferred to charterers on 

30.6.1994, after purchase 

option exercised. 1996 still 

trading.

110) BEATE OLDENDORFF – 1990- 

DMGF/ELGD 4 – cargo motorship 


13,889 GRT/18,235 tdw – 

932 TEU 



to maindeck 

one diesel engine, 7000 kW, made 

by Dieselmotorenwerk Rostock, 

under licence of Sulzer, 16.5 knots 


1990- 

ELOI5 – cargo motorship – 


15,158 GRT/23,503 tdw – 33.542 




maindeck 


engine, 10,900 HP/8018 kW, 



15.12.1982 launched. January 

1983 completed by Hyundai 

Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., Ulsan 

(No. 217) as HYUNDAI CON SEVEN 

for Asia Merchant Marine Co. Ltd., 

Ulsan (KOR). 1984 transferred to 


Ltd., Ulsan. 1989 renamed CAPTAIN 

COOK. 1990 taken on a five-year 

period bareboat charter by Egon 


Hong Kong (HKG), renamed 

14.7.1989 launched. 14.1.1990 

completed by VEB Warnowwerft, 

Warnemünde (No. 283) as BEATE 

OLDENDORFF for Egon Oldendorff 

(Liberia) Inc., Monrovia (LBR), as 

bareboat charterers and 2.1.1990 

registered. 19.3.1990 arrived at 

Singapore, lengthened at Jurong 

Shipyard Ltd., Singapore, by 16.00 

m. Now 15,506 GT/20,430 tdw, 

28,386 cubic metres grain, 1100 TEU. 



to maindeck (registered 2.4.1990). 

22.7.1991 renamed T. A. DISCOVERER. 


CATHARINA OLDENDORFF. 1991 

renamed LUANGWA BRIDGE. 1992 

renamed CATHARINA OLDENDORFF. 

Deck cranes being fitted (Photograph: Gert Uwe Detlefsen) 

to BEATE OLDENDORFF at Lübeck. 

Ownership transferred 30.6.1994 

to Egon Oldendorff, after 

purchase option was exercised, 

delivered into a bareboat charter 

with Rosewater Marititme Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR). 1996 still trading. 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (3) entering the port of Rotterdam. (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

177

178 

GERMAN SENATOR at sea (FotoFlite) 

Vessel’s propeller 

112) GERMAN SENATOR – 1990 

DGHS – cargo motorship – gearless 

containership 

24,495 GT/31,000 tdw – 2100 TEU 


beam on frames, 10.30 m draft 

one diesel engine, 13,129 kW, 

made by the builders under licence 

of B&W, 18.5 knots 

Early 1989 ordered from Hyundai 

Heavy Industries Co., Busan, 

(No. 673), building contract sold 

to Norddeutsche Vermögensanlage 

GmbH., Hamburg. 29.7.1990 

launched and 25.9.1990 

completed as GERMAN SENATOR 

for a subsidiary of Egon Olden- 

At Busan: laying the keel for 

GERMAN SENATOR, the ship under 

construction, and being named. 

(Photographs: Gert Hanselmann) 

dorff, Lübeck (DEU). Early 1991 

transferred to Kommanditgesellschaft 

RGR Reederei Gesellschaft 

Rendsburg mbH & Co. 

MS “German Senator“, Hamburg 

(DEU), Reederei Karl Schlüter, 

Rendsburg, appointed as 

managers. 1996 still trading.

Containership MONTE PASCOAL / COLUMBUS OLIVOS. During her five years as a part of the EO fleet (FotoFlite) 

she was timechartered by Hamburg-Süd. Shown here as the MONTE PASCOAL off Cuxhaven. 

113) MONTE PASCOAL – 1990-1994 

ELMW9 – cargo motorship – 

geared containervessel 

23,291 GRT/23,930 tdw – 1400 TEU 


beam, 15.70 m depth to maindeck 

one diesel engine, 15,307 kW, 

made by Harland & Wolff under 



by Swan Hunter Shipbuilders 

Ltd., Walker Shipyard, Newcastle 

(No. 107 – last ship from this yard), 

as DUNEDIN for Shaw, Savill & Albion 

Co. Ltd., Furness Withy Co. Ltd., London 

(GBR) appointed as managers. 

1983 owners restyled to Furness 

Withy Shipping Ltd., London (GBR). 

January 1986 sold to Hamburg-Südamerikanische 

Dampfschifffahrtsges. 

Eggert & Amsinck, Hamburg 

(DEU), managers R. A. Oetker and 

lengthened by 26 m and widened 

by 2,37 m at Flender Werft, Lübeck. 

Arrived at Lübeck 24.1.1986 and 

10.4.1986 entered service as MONTE 

PASCOAL. 1990 sold to Egon Olden- 

dorff (Liberia) Inc., Monrovia (LBR). 

1990 renamed COLUMBUS OLIVOS. 

End 1994 sold to MC Shipping Inc., 

Hamilton (GBR), with a timecharter 

back to Egon Oldendorff who sublet 

vessel to Hamburg-Südamerikanische 

Dampfschifffahrtsges. Eggert 

& Amsinck, Hamburg, renamed 

MONTE PASCOAL. 1996 still trading. 

179

For a certain period the three ‘E’-class multipurpose-ships flew the South Korean flag and had their names 

written in Korean characters. EMMA OLDENDORFF (2) drydocking in Rotterdam 

180 

114) EMMA OLDENDORFF (2) – 1991- 

D9HR/ELOG7 – cargo motorship – 


18,220 GRT/29,331 tdw – 


1100 TEU 


26 m beam, 16.10 m depth 


5-cyl. diesel engine made 

by the builders under licence 

of B&W, 5634 kW, 14 knots 

4.11.1983 launched and January 



(No.272) as HYUNDAI NO. 21 for 


Ltd. Ulsan (KOR). 1989 renamed 

CAPTAIN MAGELLAN. 1991 taken on 


Oldendorff (Hong Kong) Inc., 

Hong Kong (HKG). Renamed 

EMMA OLDENDORFF. 1992 transferred 

to Lucky Dragon Maritime 

Co. Ltd., Monrovia (LBR), managers 


Ltd.. Purchase option declared 

by Egon Oldendorff in 1993 

for takeover in December 1995. 

1996 still trading.

The “E”-class vessels are container fitted, ECKERT OLDENDORFF (2) leaving Durban. (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

115) ECKERT OLDENDORFF (2) – 1991- 

D9HS / ELOF7 – cargo motorship – 


18,220 GRT/29,364 tdw – 29,331 



beam, 16.11 m depth 

116) EIBE OLDENDORFF (3) – 1991- 

D9HT / ELOG8 – cargo motorship 


18,220 GRT/29,331 tdw – 39,733 





diesel engine made by the builders 

under licence of B&W, 5634 kW, 

14 knots 





diesel engine made by the builders 

under licence of B&W, 5634 kW, 

14 knots 




(No. 273) as HYUNDAI NO. 22 for 


Ltd., Ulsan (Ko) 1989 renamed 

CAPTAIN PADON. 1991 taken on 


Oldendorff. Renamed ECKERT 

OLDENDORFF. 1992 transferred to 

(No. 283) as HYUNDAI NO. 23 for 


Ltd., Ulsan (KOR) 1989 renamed 

CAPTAIN BOUGAINVILLE. 1991 taken 

on period bareboat charter by 

Egon Oldendorff. Renamed EIBE 

OLDENDORFF. 1992 transferred to 

Lucky Dragon Maritime Ltd, 

Monrovia (LBR), managers 






Lucky Dragon Maritime Ltd., 

Monrovia (LBR), managers 






181

182 

◆ 

A Shipping 

Company with 

a Shipyard 

◆ 

Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, 

established in 1872 by farsighted 

Flensburg shipowners in Germany’s 

northernmost town, quickly 

advanced to the ranks of shipbuilders 

for blue-chip owners, foreign and 

domestic. Specializing in dry cargo 

ships the yard contributed 

significantly to the development of 

so called self and easy trimmers at 

around the turn of the century. FSG 

broke new ground from the mid-50s 

onwards by constructing modern 

bulk carriers and continued its 

pioneering role by designing modern 

standard freighters and container 

vessels. The company had to 

declare bankruptcy in 1986. 

Completion of an order for the 

German navy and several conversion 

jobs at sharply reduced staff levels 

provided an extended lease of life 

over four years. Henning Oldendorff 

took over the yard from the 

liquidator in March 1990. He 

restored the shipyard’s historical 

name, its traditional house flag and 

reverted to the previous system of 

hull numbering. Acting on his initiative 

the shipyard developed the 

ECOBOX series type of ships for which 

ten orders have since been booked 

and which has met with positive 

response from the industry, not least 

due to the multiple variations offered 

by its design. Simultaneously the 

yard has streamlined and thoroughly 

modernized its internal structure, 

thereby enhancing productivity and 

now sees its future guaranteed. 

To date the shipyard has booked 

major orders adding up to 

DM 1 billion since 1990. The 

history of the shipyard will be told 

in a commemorative chronicle due 

to be published in September 1997 

on the occasion of that company’s 

125th anniversary. 

Extending its field of operations in 

1991, Egon Oldendorff added a new 

flagship to the fleet. Specialized bulk 

carriers YEOMAN BROOK (77,548 tdw) 

and her sistership, YEOMAN BURN, had 

been completed in 1990/91 by 

Daewoo Shipbuilding & Heavy 

Machinery Ltd. of Okpo, South Korea, 

for account of Fearnley & Eger, 

and when that company went out of 

business the ships were taken over. 

The ships had been built against 

a twenty-year charter to British 

minerals traders and quarry owners, 

Foster Yeoman Ltd. for worldwide 

carriage of bulk cargoes 

with a specific mass of up to two 

tonnes per cubic meter, including

Self-unloader YEOMAN BURN whilst discharging. (Photographs: Siegfried Hanselmann) 

ores, coal, gypsum, salt, coke and 

grain. The distinguishing feature of 

both vessels is their shipboard selfdischarging 

equipment supplied by 

Consilium Materials Handling Marine 

AB. The cargo holds have W-shaped 

bottoms with Nordströms basket 

gates. The hydraulically operated 

gates feed the material onto two 

parallel hold conveyors running 

aft to two cross conveyors. 

The cross conveyors transport the 

material to an inner conveyor which 

elevates it onto the deck-mounted, 

hoistable and slewable boom 

conveyor of 76 metres length capable 

of swivelling through 180 degrees 

and of working at a max. hoist 

of 18 degrees. In 1992 Egon Oldendorff 

also acquired on a bareboat 

basis the ex-Fearnley & Eger bulker 

YEOMAN BANK (38,977 tdw), built in 

1982. She is expected to continue 

trading for Foster Yeoman for another 

nine years from date of takeover, 

mainly carrying aggregates from Glensanda 

in Scotland to the Continent. 

Oldendorff transferred the ships 

from the Norwegian International 

Ship Register to Liberia. YEOMAN BURN 

became the new Oldendorff flag 

ship. She was initially sublet to 

Canada Steamship Lines Ltd., one of 

the pioneers of selfunloading ships. 

Selfunloaders are a very special 

breed. There are only about ten 

modern Panamax size selfunloaders. 

Egon Oldendorff agreed to cooperate 

closely concerning the commercial 

deployment of these innovative 

vessels with market leaders and 

highly experienced CSL International 

Inc. USA, an affiliate of Canada 

Steamship Lines Inc. of Montreal. 

183

Areal view of Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and first “ECOBOX” type newbuilding, TRADE SOL, (Photograph: Gerd Remmer) 

delivered to Sinotrans/China in 1994. 

184

117) YEOMAN BURN / 

BERNHARD OLDENDORFF – 1991- 

ELNZ7 – self-unloading motor 

bulk carrier – 43,332 GT/77,499 

tdw – 72,103 cubic metres grain 


breadth on frames, 20.10 m depth, 

14 m draft 

YEOMAN BURN (FotoFlite) 

one two-stroke 6-cylinder diesel 

engine, 11,254 kW, 

made by Korea Heavy Industries 

& Construction Co., Changwon, 

under licence of B & W, 

15 knots 


1991 completed by Daewoo 

Shipbuilding & Heavy Machinery 

Ltd., Okpo (No. 1053) as 

YEOMAN BURN for K/S A/S Fernship, 

Oslo (NIS), Fearnley & Eger 

AS appointed as managers. 

1991 sold to Rhenania Shipping 

Corp., Monrovia (LBR), mgr. 


29.12.1992 transferred to 

Halfmoon Shipping Corp., 


BERNHARD OLDENDORFF. 


185

Containerships T. WENDA and H. CEGIELSKI, purchased from Poland and registered (FotoFlite) 

in the Lübeck register for two days only as the ANNA OLDENDORFF (2) and ERNA OLDENDORFF (4) 

186 

118) ANNA OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1991-1991 

DMHL – motor container ship – 

30,536 GRT / 31,634 tdw – 

1939 TEU 



to maindeck 

one two-stroke 6-cylinder-diesel 

engine, 16,260 kW, made by H. 

Ciegielski, Poznan, under licence 


16.6.1987 launched as A. ABRAHAM 

and July 1989 completed by 

Stocznia Gdanska im Lenina, 

Gdansk (No. B355/02) as T. 

WENDA with 26.,132 tdw/1515 TEU 

for Polish Ocean Lines (Polskie 

Linie Oceaniczne), Gdynia (POL). 


Lübeck, (DEU) (6.9.1991 owners 

had ship registered in Lübeck as 

ANNA OLDENDORFF, now 31,634 

tdw, and deleted from register 

11.9.1991.) 1991 sold to Lloyd 

Triestino di Navigazione S. p. A., 

Trieste (ITA), renamed TRIESTE. 


119) ERNA OLDENDORFF (4) – 

1991-1991 

DMHN – motor container ship – 

30,488 GRT/31,634 tdw – 1939 TEU 



one two-stroke 6-cylinder-diesel 

engine, 15,900 kW, made by 

H. Ciegielski, Poznan, under 

licence of Sulzer, 19.25 knots 

28.5.1987 launched and in August 

1988 completed by Stocznia 

Gdanska im Lenina, Gdansk 

(No. B355/01) as H. CEGIELSKI 

with 25.684 tdw/1515 TEU for 

Polish Ocean Lines (Polskie Linie 

Oceaniczne), Gdynia (POL). 


Lübeck, (DEU) (17.9.1991 

owners had ship registered in 

Lübeck as ERNA OLDENDORFF, now 

31,634 tdw, and deleted from 

register 24.9.1991) 1991 sold 

to Lloyd Triestino di Navigazione 

S. p. A., Trieste (ITA), 

renamed GENOVA. 1996 still 

trading

POL EUROPE (Photograph: Eilhart Buttkus) 

120) POL EUROPE / 

HELGA OLDENDORFF (3) – 1992- 

SNIK – motor container ship – 

15,901 GT/21,679 tdw – 

1308 TEU 

165.00 m length, 26.00 m beam, 

9.83 m draft – 3 cranes 36 tons each 

1 two-stroke five-cyl. engine, 

made by Dalian Marine Diesel 

Engine Works, under licence of 

Sulzer, 7100 kW, 17 knots 

21.9.1991 launched. 2.1.1992 

completed by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft 

mbH, Flensburg 

(No. 677) as POL EUROPE for Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck. Same day 

delivered into long-term bare 

boat charter with Polish Ocean 

Lines (Polskie Linie Oceaniczne), 

Gdynia (POL). Bareboat charter 

cancelled 1995 and vessel 

renamed HELGA OLDENDORFF, 

Liberian flag (LBR). 1996 still 

trading. 

Containership POL EUROPE downbound (Photograph: Eilhart Buttkus) 

on the river Elbe 

187

Self-unloader YEOMAN BANK at Yeoman’s aggregate berth in the river Medway, UK 

121) YEOMAN BANK – 1992- 

ELOG5 – self-unloading motor 

bulkcarrier – 24,575 GT/38,977 tdw 

– 32,368 cubic metres grain 

204.96 m length, 27.26 m beam, 

11.78 m draft 

1 two-stroke six-cyl. engine, 

9,415 kW, made by Sumitomo 

Heavy Ind. Ltd., Tamashima, 

under licence of Sulzer, 15.5 knots 

188 

18.6.1981 launched and May 

1982 completed by Eleusis Shipyards 

SA., Eleusis (No. 10011) as 

SALMONPOOL for Ropner Shipping 

Co. Ltd., Hartlepool (GBR), 

managers Ropner Management 

Ltd.. 1988 homeport Nassau 

(BHS), managers Ropner Shipping 

Services Ltd. 1990 sold to K/S 

Fernbank, managers: Fearnley 

& Eger, Mgr. 1990 renamed 

YEOMAN BANK with port of 

registry Oslo (NIS). 1991 converted 

to a self-unloader in Norway 

5.2.1992 delivered into a bareboat 

charter to Egon Oldendorff 

(Liberia) Inc., Monrovia (LBR) 

until 2001/2002 via Foster 

Yeoman UK. Original Owners 

K/S Glensanda, Oslo, c/o Det 

Sondenfjelske-Norske D/S 

appointed as managers. 

1996 still trading. Vessels 

performs a nine-year timecharter 

account Foster Yeoman/World 

Selfunloaders until November 

2000.

122) LUCY OLDENDORFF – 1992- 

ELPA2 – motor bulkcarrier – 

13,696 GT/22,160 tdw – 



beam, 9.1 m draft 

1 two-stroke six-cyl. engine, 

made by Akasaka Tekkosho 

under licence of Mitsubishi, 

5296 kW, 14.2 knots 

123) YEOMAN BROOK – 1992- 

ELOW4 – self-unloading bulkcarrier 

– 43,332 GRT/77,548 tdw 

245.00 m length over all, 32,20 m 


1 two-stroke 6-cyl. engine, 11.254 

kW, made by Korea Heavy 

Industries & Construction Co. 

10.3.1992 launched and 22.5. 

1992 delivered by Onomichi 

Dockyard Saiki Jukogyo K. K., 

Saiki (No. 1018) as LUCY OLDEN- 

DORFF to Wursata Shipping Corp., 

Monrovia (LBR), mgr. Egon 

Oldendorff. 1992 transferred to 

Halfmoon Shipping Co., 

managing owners unchanged. 


Ltd., Changwon, under licence of 

Burmeister & Wain, 14 knots 

27.10.1990 launched and in January 

1991 completed by Daewoo Shipbuilding 

& Heavy Machinery Ltd., 

Okpo (No. 1052) as YEOMAN BROOK 

for K/S A/S Fernteam, Oslo (NIS), 

LUCY OLDENDORFF 

at sea trials. 

YEOMAN BROOK having completed repairs of fire damage at a Bremerhaven repair yard. (Photograph: Eilhart Buttkus) 

Fearnley & Eger A/S appointed 

as managers. 1992 transferred to 

Finroc AB, Oslo, managers Master 

Management A/S. 13.3.1992 transferred 

to Kingston Marine Corp, 

Monrovia (LBR) Mgr. Egon Oldendorff, 

not renamed. 6.5.1994 super- 

structure heavily damaged when a 

fire broke out during welding work 

in her self-unloading gear in front 

of the bridge, whilst she was lying 

at the ore berth at Bremerhaven. 

25.8.1994 repairs completed and 

back in service. 1996 still trading. 

189

190 

◆ 

Modern 

Techniques for 

Modern Ships 

◆ 

YEOMAN BURN and YEOMAN BROOK 

were the first EO ships to be 

equipped with the GMDSS Global 

Maritime Distress and Safety System. 

Its purpose is further to improve 

maritime safety with safety at sea 

being the main object (e.g., broadcasting 

and receiving topical 

information, locating vessels in 

distress, search and rescue operations, 

etc.). The system rests on several 

pillars, including but not limited to 

the (re)allocation of radio frequencies, 

sophisticated equipment on board 

and ashore, manning of ships and 

training and certification of seafarers. 

International regulations require deck 

officers including masters to obtain 

certificates of proficiency at operating 

GMDSS equipment. The various 

national shipping administrations 

have meanwhile published their own 

regulations dealing with the subject. 

To cite one example, Liberia, as 

stipulated in the ‘Minimum Safe 

Manning Certificate’, requires no 

fewer than two deck officers on 

board Liberian ships to hold a 

Liberian certificate called ‘General 

Operator GMDSS’. The said 

licences are being issued separately 

and cannot be obtained by having, 

e.g., the Licence of Competence 

endorsed. Filipino nationals must 

obtain their national ‘General 

Operator’s Certificate GMDSS’ prior 

to applying for the Liberian version. 

German, Indian and Russian deck 

officers are required to hold a valid 

unrestricted general radiotelephony 

certificate. 

LUCY OLDENDORFF and ELISABETH 

OLDENDORFF (2), two newbuildings 

which followed a little later duly 

received GMDSS equipment, and 

long before the 1995 deadline by 

which time all newbuildings had to 

be GMDSS fitted, the complete EO 

fleet had been so equipped. Vessels 

completed before 1995 have to meet 

GMDSS standards by 1999. 

Special circumstances necessitated, 

in 1991, the registration of two 

containerships for the period of 

two day. Close relations had been 

established with Polish Ocean Lines, 

not least through newbuilding 

activities of FSG. POL restructuring 

measures included the sale of 1988/89 

Stocznia Gdanska in Lenina-built 

22,000 tdw/1,400 TEU freighters 

T. WENDA and H. CEGIELSKI, but their 

specifications did not appeal to 

potential buyers. The Oldendorff

technical department scrutinized the 

ships’ plans and found that thanks to 

their sturdy construction the ships’ 

capacities could be increased to 

30,000 tdw/just under 2,000 TEU 

without any modifications. Lloyd 

Triestino di Navigazione SpA of 

Trieste had meanwhile been 

identified as potential buyers. Both 

ships were taken over, registered as 

the ANNA OLDENDORFF (2) and ERNA 

OLDENDORFF (4), were completely 

remeasured and subsequently 

delivered to the Italians. 

Egon Oldendorff placed its first 

newbuilding orders with a Japanese 

shipyard in early summer of 1991. 

The initial order was for two 22,000 

tdw shallow draft geared bulk 

carriers with large hatches. 

The owner’s newbuilding department 

modified one of Onomichi 

Dockyard Company’s standard 

designs by boosting to 7,200 HP 

the output of the Mitsubishi 

6UEC45LA main engine and by 

increasing the maximum permissible 

tank top deck load from 10 to 17 

tonnes per sq m. In addition the 

upper wing tanks were epoxy coated 

twice as a preventative measure 

against later-year corrosion. 

As customary with Egon Oldendorff a 

market research preceded the 

newbuilding orders. It had revealed a 

substantial increase of the average 

age of ships in this size bracket. 

Flexible bulk carriers in the 10,000/ 

25,000 tdw class grew older and their 

number reduced whilst almost all 

other size classes had expanded in 

terms of units. Many loggers and 

bulk carriers, built in the 70s at low 

cost and of very basic design now 

showed signs of poor maintenance. 

Their time was up . 

The Onomichi type was suitable for 

lengthening by a 30 metres section 

increasing deadweight capacity to 

27,000 tonnes. Flensburger Schiffbau- 

Gesellschaft qualified for that kind of 

work having previously lengthened 

more than 20 ships. As market 

acceptance increased the Onomichi 

orders were increased to four and 

subsequently to a total of six units. 

The lead vessel was given a ‘new’ 

name, LUCY OLDENDORFF, when 

delivered on 23 May 1992, after the 

name of the owner’s first daughter. 

The second ship was named the 

ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (2), and the 

remainder of the series trade as the 

CAROLINE OLDENDORFF (2), DOROTHEA 

OLDENDORFF (2), GRETKE OLDENDORFF 

(4) and DORTHE OLDENDORFF (4). The 

freighters of 157.8m length have a 

deadweight capacity of 22,160 tonnes 

at 9.11m draft. In the timber trade 

deadweight capacity at 9.38 m 

amounts to 23,028 tonnes. Grain 

capacity is 29,300 cubic metres, 

and timber intake including deck 

cargo amounts to 43,482 cubic 

metres. The ships of this series 

have a container capacity of 

511 TEU each but the vessels have 

no container equipment. Cargo 

handling gear consists of four 

electrically driven Mitsubishi deck 

cranes of 30 tonnes lifting capacity. 

Stanchions have been provided at the 

bulwarks for the carriage of timber 

on deck. 

191

192 

Various stages of 

construction of 

DOROTHEA OLDENDORFF 

(4), built 1993 at 

Saiki subcontracted 

by Onomichi 

Dockyard. 

(Photographs: Siegfried 

Hanselmann)

Shikoku Dockyard supplied two 

smaller singledeckers of 18,000 tdw 

each in 1994. The ships, named 

the ERNA OLDENDORFF (5) and ANNA 

OLDENDORFF (3) were each fitted with 

four 30 tonnes deck cranes. 

Early in 1991 Senator Linie, 

Cho Yang Line and Deutsche Seereederei 

GmbH launched their 

‘Tricon’ Round-the-World joint 

service. Bremen was chosen as 

the operational headquarters for 

the 30 ships involved. In addition 

thereto Senator Linie and DSR 

commenced a joint end-to-end 

service from the Continent to South 

East Asia and v.v. which i.a. enabled 

the RTW ships to bypass Khor 

Fakkan. The RTW fleet consisted of 

24 ships ranging from 1,800 to 2,200 

TEU chartered for periods of up to 

seven years, whereas six smaller 

vessels served the South East Asian 

trade. It transpired in mid-1991 that 

Senator Linie had landed a major 

coup by period chartering, at 

favourable rates, ten containerships 

ordered from Western German 

shipyards by the Baltic Shipping 

Company, then still part of the Soviet 

Russian shipping combine. The 

Tricon partners offered weekly 

sailings from early 1991. Cho Yang 

commissioned a series of 2,700 TEU 

newbuildings at short intervals, and 

DSR had managed to increase the 

size of the six containerships they 

had ordered also from Western 

German yards from 2,000 to 2,700 

TEU. This created a severe imbalance 

within the partnership, and 

Karl-Heinz Sager was highly pleased 

at the opportunity of upwardsadjusting 

the capacities of the 

Senator Linie contingent in the 

RTW fleet. Whilst Senator Linie had 

meanwhile established itself as a 

market factor it had so far failed to 

achieve a balanced result, let alone 

to write black figures. On the 

contrary, losses accumulated, and 

Egon Oldendorff decided to sell its 

Senator Linie shares early in 1992. 

Hamburg-Süd similarly withdrew 

from Senator on 1 December of that 

year. The shares were taken over by 

HIBEG Hanseatische Industrie Betei- 

ligung GmbH, a company backed by 

the City of Bremen. Senator Linie 

redelivered the LONDON SENATOR to 

her owners in the spring of 1992 

after four years of RTW service. The 

ship had completed her final round 

voyages as the DSR OAKLAND. 

Thereafter the BIRTE OLDENDORFF 

(1,800 TEU), now renamed VILLE DE 

CASTOR, traded for account of CMA 

Compagnie Maritime d’Affrètement of 

Marseille in that line’s service 

between Europe and the Far East and 

in November 1992 delivered into a 

period timecharter with Sea-Land 

Service, again on the Europe/Far East 

route. Both sisters are now performing 

under a five-year charter to Mediterranean 

Shipping Co., Geneva. 

Egon Oldendorff acquired two 

combined container/RoRo freighters 

in November 1992, built in France as 

part of a French-Polish joint venture, 

the KAZIMIERZ PULASKI and the TADEUSZ 

KOSCIUSZKO. These versatile ships 

with a cargo capacity of 22,709 

193

tonnes, 544 lane metres on the 

RoRo deck, and lower hold capacities 

for 1,417 TEU plus 675 motor 

vehicles had a Sulzer main engine 

licence-built by Poznan-based 

H. Cegielski of 21,350 kW output for 

a service speed exceeding 20 knots. 

The ships became redundant when 

Polish Ocean Lines suspended their 

North Atlantic liner service. 

Tailor-made to compete with similar 

freighters of Atlantic Container Line 

(ACL) the ships’ chances of finding 

buyers appeared slim. Oldendorff 

superintendents found out that the 

vessels could be modified into 27,000 

tonnes/1,700 TEU units, or even into 

pure containerships, at justifiable 

cost. Conversion costs could 

reasonably be expected to be on the 

low side considering the worldwide 

slump in newbuilding and conversion 

activities. Having been taken over the 

ships were given the Oldendorff 

livery, and renamed HINRICH OLDEN- 

DORFF (3) and GEBE OLDENDORFF (3) 

at Lloyd-Werft in Bremerhaven 

and Blohm + Voss in Hamburg, 

respectively. 

194 

HINRICH OLDENDORFF delivered into a 

four-year timecharter with Bridge 

Line/Blue Star Line after previously 

completing one round voyage for 

Mediterranean Shipping Company of 

Geneva (MSC). Renamed PYRMONT 

BRIDGE the vessel operates on the 

Australia/Far East and v.v. route. 

Sistership GEBE OLDENDORFF 

completed two North Atlantic round 

voyages for account of Canada Maritime 

and thereafter one voyage for 

Polish Ocean Lines. Eventually she 

berthed at Jurong Shipyard in 

Singapore on 15 April 1993. That 

shipyard had been put to test before 

when Egon Oldendorff had its two 

multi-purpose freighters BEATE 

OLDENDORFF and MARIA OLDENDORFF 

lengthened in Singapore. Now, the 

yard converted the vessel into a full 

containership of approximately 2,000 

TEU intake in a period of seven 

weeks by removing the stern ramp 

and the rear RoRo decks. The yard 

fitted container cells and lift-away 

hatch covers. One more deck came 

on top of the former bridge deck and 

now accommodated nautical, etc. 

equipment, thereby enabling the ship 

to carry five tiers of containers on 

deck. Deadweight capacity increased 

by 2,000 tonnes to 30,000, and the 

draft grew from 10.5 to 11 metres. 

These freighters are a class to 

themselves having the following 

outstanding features: high average 

container weights, good reefer 

container capacity, bow and stern 

thrusters, modern navigational 

equipment and very generouslyappointed 

passenger accommodation 

including a swimming pool, a sauna 

bath and a passenger lift. 

GEBE OLDENDORFF, her conversion 

completed, re-entered service on 

2nd/3rd June 1993 and delivered into 

a four to five-year period timecharter 

with Neptune Orient Lines Ltd. of 

Singapore for its service between the 

Far East and the east coast of North 

America. 

Egon Oldendorff rounded off the 

deal by taking over and placing 

under its house flag the remaining 

two ‘Polish French’ ships of the series

Close-up views and the ANNA OLDENDORFF (4) completed. (Photographs: Siegfried Hanselmann) 

She and her sistership ERNA OLDENDORFF were constructed at Shikoku/Japan in 1993/94. 

195

“Con-Ro” ship HUGO OLDENDORFF in charter to Polish Ocean Lines. (Photograph: J. Krayenbosch) 

196 

early in 1993, the WLADYSLAW SIKORSKI 

renamed HUGO OLDENDORFF and the 

STEFAN STARZYNSKI, now GERDT OLDEN- 

DORFF. Two each thereof had been built 

by Chantiers Nav. de la Ciotat (GEBE 

OLDENDORFF and HUGO OLDENDORFF), 

and by Chantiers de l’Atlantique 

of St.Nazaire. 

Including the four newbuildings on 

order, at the end of 1992 the Egon 

Oldendorff fleet stood at 40 ships 

aggregating 1.3 million tdw and 

20,000 TEU capacity, including the 

four newbuildings contracted. During 

the ten-year period 1981/91 the company 

acquired 36 ships thereby renewing 

its entire fleet. Container vessel fixtures 

from 1988 for periods until 1997/98 

took advantage of the firm market for 

that category of ships. Dry bulk 

carrier rate improvements were yet 

to make themselves felt. At that time 

the EO payroll listed a staff of 2,000, 

thereof 1,300 afloat, 600 at FSG

shipyard, 60 in the Lübeck 

headquarters and 10 in Hong Kong. 

In a deal involving two newbuildings 

ordered from FSG, Egon Oldendorff 

in 1993/94 purchased three freighters 

from Compania Chilena de 

Navegacion Interoceanica SA of 

Valparaiso: in summer 1993 delivery 

was taken of Naikai/Japan-built 1,300 

TEU multi-purpose freighter CCNI 

AUSTRAL, chartered back until 1998 by 

the Chileans. One year later 

Oldendorff took over the two 1984/ 

83 Rendsburg-built sisterships CCNI 

VALPARAISO and CCNI MAGALLANES. 

The former has meanwhile delivered 

into a nine-year bareboat charter with 

Mint Holdings, while the latter has 

commenced a three-year bareboat 

charter to CTE, Spain. The Chilean 

company ordered two Ecobox vessels 

of the 34,000 tdw/2,000 TEU type 

from Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft 

for completion during 1996. However, 

meanwhile the ships were placed in 

the German “KG” market by fundraisers 

MPC Capital, Hamburg, with a 

three-year timecharter attached for 

account CCNI. 

Surveys have convinced the Lübeck 

owners that the charter market 

for virtually all sizes of cellular 

container vessels is rapidly reaching 

the point of saturation. Increasingly 

this sector is being occupied by ships 

financed through highly popular tax 

schemes leading to supply exceeding 

demand even in the medium term. 

With no apparent potential for further 

growth in sight Egon Oldendorff, 

from 1993 onwards, began a steady 

retreat from the cellular containership 

market. All 14 units were either sold 

or chartered out on period contracts. 

Large containerships GERDT OLDEN- 

DORFF (2) and HUGO OLDENDORFF (5) 

were sold to their Saudi Arabian 

timecharterers. MONTE PASCOAL, with 

a charter-back attached, found 

interested buyers in Monto Carlo. 

CCNI VALPARAISO and MAGALLANES 

delivered into nine-year and threeyear 

bareboat charters, respectively. 

Geneva-based MSC took BIRTE 

OLDENDORFF (4) and TETE OLDENDORF (3) 

on five-year period charters with the 

intention to purchase the ships on 

expiry of their charters. Hyundai 

newbuilding GERMAN SENATOR had 

been sold at a very early stage, and 

second-hand vessels T. WENDA and 

H. CEGIELSKI may in this context be 

termed mayflies. The two CCNI 

newbuildings yet to be delivered 

have been sold to clients of MPC 

Capital, Hamburg, and GEBE OLDEN- 

DORFF (3) and HINRICH OLDENDORFF (3) 

have also been chartered out on 

long-term contracts. 

Egon Oldendorff strengthened its 

cooperation with CSL by acquiring 

their 62,732 tdw self-unloader CSL 

INNOVATOR which currently trades in 

the joint pool as the CHRISTOFFER 

OLDENDORFF. The vessel was built in 

1982 at Govan in Scotland and was 

converted at the Brazilian Verolme 

yard in 1988. She is expected to last 

another ten to fifteen years, not least 

because of her high lightweight of 

16,000 tonnes. 

197

mv ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (2) 

198 

Containership POL ASIA 

124) ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1992- 

ELPF9 – motor bulkcarrier – 

13,696 GT/22,154 tdw – 




two-stroke six-cyl. engine, 

4,766 kW, made by Akasaka 

Diesels Co, Yaizu, under 

licence of Mitsubishi, 

14.2 knots 

18.5.1992 launched and 27.7. 

1992 delivered by Onomichi 

Dockard / Saiki Jukogyo 

K. K., Saiki (No. 1020) 

as ELISABETH OLDENDORFF 

for Kingston Maritime Corp., 

Monrovia (LBR), mgr. 

Egon Oldendorff. 1996 


125) POL ASIA / 

HENRIETTE OLDENDORFF – 1992 – 

SPES – motor container ship – 

16,007 GT/21,723 tdw – 1308 TEU 

165.00 m length, 26.00 m length, 

9.83 m draft – 3 cranes 36 tons each 

1 two-stroke five-cyl. engine, 

7100 kW, made by Dalian Marine 

Diesel Engine Works under 


21.3.1992 launched. 19.6.1992 

completed by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft 

mbH, Flensburg 

(No. 678) as POL ASIA for Egon 

Oldendorff, Lübeck. Same day 

delivered into long-term bare 

boat charter with Polish Ocean 

Lines, Gdynia (POL). Bareboat 

charter cancelled 1995 and vessel 

renamed HENRIETTE OLDENDORFF, 

Liberian flag (LBR). 1996 still 

trading.

HINRICH OLDENDORFF as PYRMONT BRIDGE 


1992- 

ELPN2 – cellular containership/ 

Roll on-Roll off-cargo ship – 

30,080 GRT/27,930 tdw 

40,711 cubic metres grain, 

544 lane metres plus 675 cars, 

1704 TEU 


31.70 m beam, 18.50 m depth, 

9.50 m draft 

1 two-stroke, ten-cyl. engine, 

21,331 kW, made by H. Cegielski, 

Poznan, under licence of Sulzer, 

20 knots 

24.4.1981 launched and in July 

1981 completed by Chantiers 

de l’Atlantique, St. Nazaire 

(No. M27) as KAZIMIERZ PULASKI 

for Polish Ocean Lines-Polskie 

Linie Oceaniczne, Gdynia (POL). 

1983 transferred to French-Polish 

Shipping Co.-Francusko Polskie 

Towarzstwo Zeglugowe, Gdynia. 

1984 mgr. Polish Ocean Lines- 

Polskie Linie Oceaniczne. 

6.11.1992 sold to Kingston 

Maritime Corp., Monrovia (LBR), 

mgr. Egon Oldendorff, Monrovia 

(LBR), renamed HINRICH 

OLDENDORFF. February 1993 

renamed PYRMONT BRIDGE. 


ConRo vessel HINRICH OLDENDORFF (FotoFlite) 

199

Containership GEBE OLDENDORFF as the NEPTUNE LAZULI. The extra bridge 

deck was inserted when she ship was converted into a full container vessel. 

200 

Sistership GERDT OLDENDORFF was not converted 

127) GEBE OLDENDORFF (3) – 1992- 

ELPM9 – cellular containership/ 

Roll on-Roll off-cargo ship – 

30,085 GRT/22,709 tdw 

40,713 cubic metres grain, 544 

lane metres plus 675 cars, 1704 TEU 






20 knots 

30.9.1981 launched and 1982 completed 

by Chantiers Navale de la 

Ciotat, La Ciotat (No. 324) as 

TADEUSZ KOSCIUSZKO for Polish Ocean 

Lines-Polskie Linie Oceaniczne, 

Gdynia (POL). 1983 transferred to 

French-Polish Shipping Co.-Francusko 

Polskie Towarzstwo Zeglugowe,Gdynia. 

1984 mgr. Polish 

Ocean Lines-Polskie Linie Oceaniczne. 

14.11. 1992 sold to Kingsston 

Maritime Corp., Monrovia (LBR), 

mgr. Egon Oldendorff, and renamed 

GEBE OLDENDORFF. 1993 converted at 

Singapore to a full containership of 

31,207 GT/30,684 tdw/2014 TEU 

on 11 m draft at Singapore, 15.3. 

1993 arrived. 1993 renamed NEPTUNE 

LAZULI. October 1994 renamed 

SINGAPORE EXPRESS. 1996 still trading. 

128) GERDT OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1993-1994 

ELIU5 – cellular containership/ 

Roll on-roll off-cargo ship – 

30,076 GRT/27,788 tdw 

40,713 cubic metres grain, 544 lane 

metres plus 675 cars, 1704 TEU 

200.25 m length, 31.70 m beam, 

10.56 m draft 




20 knots 

29.8.1981 launched and 1982 completed 

by Chantiers Navale d l’Atlantique, 

St. Nazaire (No. N27) as 

STEFAN STARZYNSKI for Polish Ocean 

Lines-Polskie Linie Oceaniczne, 

Gdynia (POL). 1983 transferred to 

French-Polish Shipping Co.-Francusko 

Polskie Towarzstwo Zeglugowe, 

Gdynia. 1984 mgr. Polish 

Ocean Lines-Polskie Linie Oceaniczne. 

1993 sold to Rosebank Maritime 

Inc., Monrovia (LBR), renamed 

GERDT OLDENDORFF. 1994 sold to 

National Shipping Company of 

Saudi Arabia (NSCSA) Dammam, 

(SAU), renamed SAUDI RIYADH. 

1996 still trading.

CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF 

129) CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF (4) 

– 1993- 

ELQH5 – self-unloading motor 

bulk carrier – 37,959 GT / 68,844 

tdw – 227.74 m length over all, 

32.31 m breadth on frames, 

19.21 m depth, 13.48 m draft 

one two-stroke five-cyl. engine 

with 11,328 kW, built by J. G. 

Kincaid & Co. Ltd., Greenock, 

under licence of Burmeister & Wain 

Launched 15.10.1981 for Movex 

Ltd., Great Britain. In March 1983 

completed by Govan Shipbuilders 

Ltd, Govan-Glasgow (No. 253) 

als gearless bulkcarrier PACIFIC 

BREEZE for Lombard Discount 

Ltd., London (GBR), mgrs. 

Furness Withy (Shipping Ltd. 

1986 sold to Ocean Lines Ltd., 

Nassau (BHS), Mgr. Canada 

Steamship Lines Inc., renamed 

ATLANTIC HURON. Converted to 

a self-unloading bulk carrier in 

1988 at Verolme/Brasil with 

a new deadweight of 62,732 tdw 

and renamed CSL INNOVATOR. 

22.8.1990 put into Falmouth Bay 

following a fire in her accommodation 

block 20.8. when in a 

position 48.37 N 12.12 W during 

a voyage from Hamburg to 

Halifax/N. She later returned to 

Hamburg, arriving here 25.8.1990 

for repairs. 1991 sold to The CSL 

Group Inc., Monrovia (LBR). 

1992 mgr. Constellation Ship 

Management Ltd. 8.11.1993 

sold to Aruba Maritime Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR), renamed 

CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF Mgr. 

Egon Oldendorff. 1996 still 

trading. 

201

Container/Ro Ro vessel HUGO OLDENDORFF with a deckload of UN vehicles in the English Channel (FotoFlite) 


1993-1995 

ELIU6 – cellular containership/ 

Roll on-roll off-cargo ship – 

30,081 GRT/22,639 tdw 

40,713 cubic metres grain, 544 

lane metres plus 675 cars, 1417 TEU 

200.50 m length, 31.70 m beam, 

10.55 m draft 

202 




21 knots 

14.4.1981 launched and 1981 

completed by Chantiers Navale de 

la Ciotat, La Ciotat (No. 325) as 

WLADYSLAW SIKORSKI for Polish 

Ocean Lines-Polskie Linie 

Oceaniczne, Gdynia (POL). 1983 

transferred to French-Polish 

Shipping Co.-Francusko Polskie 

Towarzstwo Zeglugowe, Gdynia. 

1984 mgr. Polish Ocan Lines- 

Polskie Linie Oceaniczne. 1993 

transferred to W. Sikorski, Gdynia, 

managers as before. 1993 sold to 

Rosebank Maritime Inc., Monrovia 

(LBR). Renamed HUGO OLDEN- 

DORFF. 1993 remeasured to 27,788 

tdw / 1,704 TEU. 1995 sold to 

National Shipping Company of 

Saudi Arabia (NSCSA), Dammam 

(SAU), renamed SAUDI MAKKAH. 

1996 still trading.

131) CAROLINE OLDENDORFF (2) – 

1994- 

ELPS2 – geared bulkcarrier 

13,696 GT / 22,150 tdw – 29,300 

cubic metres 



one two-stroke six-cyl. engine, 


Diesels Co., Yaizu, under licence 

of Mitsubishi, 14.2 knots 

14.2.1993 launched by Saiki 

Jukogyo K. K., Saiki (No. 1025) 

for Roscoe Maritime Co., 

Monrovia and 22.4.1993 

completed by Onomichi Zosen 

K. K., Onomichi (No. 368) as 

CAROLINE OLDENDORFF for 

Rosebank Maritime Inc., 


trading. 

mv CAROLINE OLDENDORFF on her trial trip 

203

204 

Semi-container motorship CCNI AUSTRAL. 

DOROTHEA OLDENDORFF leaving builder’s yard 

132) DOROTHEA OLDENDORFF – 1994- 

ELPX9 – geared bulkcarrier 

13,696 GT / 22,145 tdw – 

29,300 cubicmetres 







April 1993 launched by Saiki Jukogyo 

K. K., Saiki (No. 1026) for 

Egon Oldendorff, Monrovia and 

23.6.1993 completed by Onomichi 

Zosen K. K., Onimichi (No. 369) 

as DOROTHEA OLDENDORFF for 


(LBR). 1996 still trading. 

133) CCNI AUSTRAL – 1994 – 

ELPC2 – semi-container 

motor ship, part cellular, 

part tweendeck 

17,726 GRT / 22,200 tdw – 

1127 TEU 


27.05 m beam, 14.6 m depth, 

9.85 m draft 

one two-stroke seven-cylinder 

engine, 9421 kW, made by 

Hitachi Zosen, Sakurajima 

Works, Osaka, under licence 

of Burmeister & Wain, 19 knots 

5.3.1992 launched and 

27.5.1992 completed by Naikai 

Shipbuilding & Engineering 

Co. Ltd., Setoda (No. 568) 

as CCNI AUSTRAL for Austral 

Shipping Co. Ltd., Monrovia 

(LBR). 1994 taken over 

by Egon Oldendorff for 

Rosewater Maritime Inc., 

Monrovia (LBR). 1995 

remeasured to 24,190 tdw. 

1996 still trading.


1994- 

ELQJ6 – geared bulkcarrier 

13,696 GT / 22,059 tdw – 


157.5 m length over all, 25 m beam, 

12.70 m depth, 9.1 m draft 





4.11.1993 launched and 23.1.1994 

completed by Onomichi Zosen K. 

K., Onomichi (No. 375) and Saiki 

Jukogyo K. K., Saiki (No. 1030) as 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF for Kingston 

Maritime Corp., Monrovia (LBR). 



1994- 

ELQJ7 – geared bulkcarrier – 

13,712 GT / 22,050 tdw – 





5296 kW, made by Mitsubishi- 

Akasaka, 14.2 knots 

10.1.1994 launched by Saiki 

Jukogyo KK, Saiki (No. 376). 

4.4.1994 completed by 

Onomichi Dockyard / 

Saiki Heavy Industries (No. 1031) 

as GRETKE OLDENDORFF for 

Kingston Maritime Corp., 


trading. 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (4), and 

GRETKE OLDENDORFF (4) belong to a series of six ships from Onomichi Zosen 

205

A photograph of the launching party in front of the newbuilding, (Collection Siegfried Hanselmann) 

and decorating the newbuilding with streamers and balloons are Japanese traditions. 

206 

136) ERNA OLDENDORFF (5) – 1994 

ELQT8 – geared singledecker – 

11,267 GT/18,355 tdw – 



beam, 12.20 m depth, 9.17 m draft 

1 two-stroke six-cyl. engine with 

5075 kW, made by Mitsubishi 

Engineering under licence of 

Sulzer, 14.5 knots 

8.4.1994 launched. 15.7. 1994 

completed as ERNA OLDENDORFF 

by Shikoku Dockyard Ltd., 

Takamatsu (No. 870 ) for Rosebank 

Maritime Inc., Monrovia 

(LBR). 1996 still trading.

137) CCNI VALPARAISO – 1994 – 

ELPK7 – geared motor containership 

– 10,625 GT / 14,160 tdw / 

1033 TEU 


beam, 11 m depth, 8.35 m draft 

one four-stroke eight-cyl. engine, 

6690 kw, made by Krupp MaK 

Maschinenbau, Kiel, 16.5 knots 

31.3.1984 launched as KARIN S. 

14.6.1984 completed by Werft 

Nobiskrug GmbH, Rendsburg 

(No. 719) as JEBSEN SOUTHLAND for 

Schepers & Co. KG MS ‘Karin S’, 

Elsfleth (DEU). 1988 renamed 

KARIN S. 1989 renamed EMCOL 

CARRIER. 1991 renamed ATLANTA. 

1992 sold to Compania Chilena 

de Navegacion Interoceanica SA., 

Valparaiso (CHL), renamed CCNI 

VALPARAISO. 15.8.1994 sold to Egon 


(LBR). In March 1995 delivered into 

a nine-year bareboat charter with 

Mint Holdings (UK) Ltd, renamed 

FRANCOLI. 1996 still trading. 

138) MAGALLANES – 1994- 

ELPG5 – geared motor containership 

– 10,544 GT / 14,000 tdw / 

1033 TEU 


beam, 11 m depth, 8.33 m draft 

one four-stroke eight-cyl. engine, 

6700 kW, made by Krupp 

MaK Maschinenbau, Kiel, 

16.5 knots 

Im March 1983 launched as 

WESTERMARSCH. 16.6.1983 completed 

by Werft Nobiskrug GmbH, 

Rendsburg (Bau-Nr. 714) as ZIM 

MELBOURNE for Gebr. Peterson 

Schiffahrtsgesellschaft ‘Wester- 

marsch’ GmbH & Co. KG, 

Hörsten, Homeport Rendsburg 

(DEU). 1986 renamed WESTER- 

MARSCH. 1986 renamed WOERMANN 

ULANGA. 1990 renamed WESTER- 

MARSCH. 1990 renamed DORIA. 1991 

renamed ZIM URUGUAY. 1992 sold 

to Compania Chilena de Navegacion 

Interoceanica SA., Valparaiso 

(CHL) and renamed CCNI 

MAGALLANES. 6.9.1994 sold to Egon 


(LBR), renamed MAGALLANES. 

In March 1995 delivered into a 

three-year bareboat charter with 

CTE, Madrid, renamed CTE 

MAGALLANES. 1996 still trading. 

Containership CCNI VALPARAISO, built at Rendsburg in 1983/84 as part of a series. Sistership MAGALLANES (on page 208). (FotoFlite) 

207

MAGALLANES on the river Scheldt (Photograph: Eilhart Buttkus) 

208

Sisterships ANNA OLDENDORFF (photo) and ERNA OLDENDORFF, built at Takamatsu on the Japanese island of Shikoku. 

139) ANNA OLDENDORFF (3) – 1994- 

ELQT7 – geared singledecker – 

11,263GT/18,297 tdw – 

136.00 m length pp, 22.80 m 

beam, 12.8 m depth, 9.15 m draft 

1 two-stroke six-cyl. engine with 

5642 HP, built by Mitsubishi 

Engineering, under licence of 

Burmeister & Wain, 14 knots. 

13.10.1994 completed as ANNA 

OLDENDORFF by Shikoku Dockyard 

Ltd., Takamatsu (No. 871 ) for 


(LBR). 1996 still trading. 

209

210 

LINDA OLDENDORFF behind Copenhagen’s Little Mermaid 140) LINDA OLDENDORFF 

motor bulk carrier 

39,422 GT / 75,100 tdw / 

85,158 cubic metres – 

225 x 32.34 x 14.33 m – 

1 Sulzer engine, 10,812 kW 

Close-up view 

of the unusual 

bow design 

19.5.1995 floating out 

of building dock. 7.7.1995 

christening. 28.7.1995 completed 

by Burmeister & Wain (No. 953) 

as LINDA OLDENDORFF for 

K/S Bulk A/S, Copenhagen, 

leased to Egon Oldendorff. 

1996 still trading.

Ten years after having taken delivery 

of the ‘Mark III’ type panamaxes 

from Burmeister & Wain of 

Copenhagen, Egon Oldendorff 

contracted one ‘Mark V’ type 

panamax from the same yard, on a 

leasing basis. The ship was delivered 

in July 1995 and was christened by 

18 months-old Linda Oldendorff, 

the second daughter of Henning 

Oldendorff and probably one of the 

youngest sponsors ever to name 

a ship. The 75,100 tdw bulker boasts 

a strong steel structure and 11,750 

tonnes lightweight. 

FAIR SPIRIT, built in 1974, was sold in 

1995, but at the same time Oldendorff 

Asia acquired a younger SD 14 

type tweendecker, built in 1980 at 

CCN Maua in Brasil. The FROTA DURBAN 

is on a one-year timecharter to the 

sellers, Frota Oceanica, and will 

change her name thereafter. 

The same yard had built the mv 

NOBILITY in 1983 which in 1989 was 

converted to a 12,800 tdw/500 TEU 

multipurpose tweendeck/container 

vessel with 30 tonnes Liebherr twin 

cranes. Egon Oldendorff bought the 

ship from Alianca and renamed her 

JOBST OLDENDORFF. 

Linda Oldendorff 

Virtually the complete currently 

owned EO fleet is made up of ships 

with a high lightweight. To qualify 

for acquisition by Egon Oldendorff, 

candidates on the second-hand 

tonnage market must be of strong 

construction and be built of mild 

steel. As a consequence of the severe 

shipping crisis from 1982 onwards 

many shipyards were forced to 

economize on steel and took to using 

a high percentage (from 60 to 80 %) 

of thin, high-tensile steel (HTS) 

which is less corrosion-resistant 

and has a tendency to buckle and 

to develop cracks when fatigued. 

This feature applies to many ships 

built from the mid-1980s onwards 

and is likely to contribute to additional 

fleet renewal requirements 

in the next decade. 

211

To illustrate the importance of this 

point, the following list of EO ship 

types includes their respective 

lightweights, as compared with 

‘standard’ ships. 

In this context the term ‘standard’ 

is used to describe typical 

comparable standard ship types 

on offer from shipyards for the 

last ten years. It can be seen from 

the list that the light weight of ships 

in the Egon Oldendorff fleet exceeds 

that of ‘standard’ vessels by 20 to 

60 percent. They are stronger and 

have a higher life expectancy. 

Some Korean panamax designs 

have 8,500 lightweight tonnes, and 

a Japanese handymax 45,000 tonnes 

bulker design may offer only some 

6,000 lightweight tonnes. Both 

figures are about 40 percent down 

on what a shipowner could expect 

to get for his money up to the 

early 1980s. 

212 

Vessel Type (EO fleet) tdw Approx. lightweight % more 

mv ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (2) 

EO ships ‘standard’ ships 

LINDA OLDENDORFF 75,000 11,750 9,500 + 24 % 

Jiangnan S/U Newbuildings 71,000 16,000 12,000 + 33 % 

BALTIC MERMAID / MARINE R. 64,000 12,000 9,000 + 33 % 

Gdansk Newbuildings 49,000 12,000 9,000 + 33 % 

Guangzhou Newbuildings 44,000 10,000 6,250 + 60 % 

BIRTE / TETE OLDENDORFF 34,000 8,500 7,000 + 21 % 

Dalian Newbuildings 29,000 8,000 5,500 + 45 % 

EIBE / EMMA / ECKERT O. 29,000 8,000 5,500 + 45 % 

RIXTA / REGINA OLDENDORFF 28,000 8,000 5,000 + 60 % 

DIETRICH / JOHANNA OLDENDORFF 23,000 8,600 6,000 + 43 % 

HELGA / HENRIETTE OLDENDORFF 22,000 7,400 5,500 + 35 % 

HILLE / IMME OLDENDORFF 21,000 7,000 5,000 + 40 % 

MARIA / BEATE OLDENDORFF 20,000 8,000 5,000 + 60 % 

Wuhu Newbuildings 20,000 6,000 4,800 + 25 % 

JOBST OLDENDORFF 13,000 5,000 3,900 + 28 %

141) TBN 

motor open-hatch box-shaped 

bulk carrier (OHBS) – 49,000 tdw / 

2100 TEU / 60,000 cubic metres 

grain – 199.98 x 30.80 x 12.00 m 

1 two-stroke five-cylinder engine 

with 11,800 HPe, made by 

H. Cegielski, Poznan, under 


Ordered with Gdansk Shipyard 

(No. B 683/3) for delivery in 

August 1996. 

142) TBN 

motor open-hatch box-shaped 

bulk carrier (OHBS) – 49,000 tdw / 


grain – 199.98 x 30.80 x 12.00 m 


with 11,800 HPe, made by 

H. Cegielski, Poznan, under 


Ordered with Gdansk Shipyard 

(No. B 683/4) for delivery in 

October 1996 

143) TBN 

open-hatch box-shaped motor 

ship (OHBS) – 29,000 tdw / 

1,200 TEU – 181 x 26 x 9.98 m – 


with 8700 HPe, made by Dalian 

Marine Diesel Works, under 

licence of MAN/B & W, 14 knots 

Ordered with Dalian Shipyard 

(No. 280/3) for delivery in 

November 1996 

144) TBN 

open-hatch box-shaped motor 

ship (OHBS) – 29,000 tdw / 

1,200 TEU – 181 x 26 x 9.98 m 


with 8700 HPe, made by Dalian 

Marine Diesel Works, under 

licence of MAN/B&W, 14 knots 

Ordered with Dalian Shipyard (No. 

280/4) for delivery in June 1997 

145) TBN 

open-hatch box-shaped motor ship 

(OHBS) – 20,000 tdw / 900 TEU / 

24,000 cbm – 151 x 23,0 x 9,75 m 

1 two-stroke six-cylinder engine 

with 10,500 HPe, made by Hudong 

Shipyard, under licence of MAN / 

B&W 

Ordered with Wuhu Shipyard (No. 

9515) for delivery in May 1997 

146) TBN 


(OHBS) – 20,000 tdw / 900 TEU / 

24,000 cbm – 151 x 23.0 x 9,75 




B&W 


9516) for delivery in October 1997 

JOBST OLDENDORFF (3) as NOBILITY (FotoFlite) 

147) TBN 


(OHBS) – 20,000 tdw / 900 TEU / 

24,000 cbm – 151 x 23,0 x 9,75 m 




B & W 


9517) for delivery in April 1998 

148) TBN 


(OHBS) – 20,000 tdw / 900 TEU / 

24,000 cbm – 151 x 23,0 x9,75 m 




B&W 


9518) for delivery in August 1998 


1995- 

ELQS4 – 8975 GT / 12,803 tdw / 


grain – 140.98 m length over all, 


11.74 m depth 

one two-stroke 6-cylinder diesel 

engine, 6179 kW, made by 

Mecanica Pesada SA, Taubate, 

under licence of MAN, 

15 knots 

8.9.1982 launched. 1983 completed 

by Cia. Comercio e 

Navegacao CCN Maua Shipyard, 

Niteroi (No. 157) as ALESSANDRA 

for Empresa de Navegacao 

Alianca SA, Rio de Janeiro (BRA). 

1994 sold to Van Dyk Shipping 

Corp., Monrovia (LBR), Maritime 

Services Aleuropa GmbH, 

Hamburg, appointed as 

managing owners, renamed 

NOBILITY. In September 1995 

sold to Egon Oldendorff, 

Lübeck (LBR), and renamed 

JOBST OLDENDORFF. 


213

Semi containership FROTADURBAN (FotoFlite) 

150) FROTADURBAN – 1995 

3BJG – 8585 / 11,372 GRT / 

12,100 / 14,650 tdw – 




12.58 m depth 

152) HUGO OLDENDORFF (6) 

craned bulkcarrier – 44,000 tdw / 


199.00 x 30.00 x 10.98 m – 

1 five-stroke engine with 10,600 

214 

1 two-stroke 6-cylinder diesel 

engine with 8385 kW, made by 

Mecanica Pesada SA, Taubate 

under licence of MAN, 17 knots 

26.10.1979 launched. August 1980 

completed by Ca. Comercio e 

Navegacao CCN Maua Shipyard, 

HP, made under Sulzer-licence, 

14,5 knots 

Ordered with Guanghzou 

Shipyard (No. 513/3) for delivery 

in November 1997. 

Niteroi (No. 134) as FROTADURBAN 

for Frota Oceanica Brasileira SA, 

Rio de Janeiro (BRA). 1987 homeport 

Macau (BRA). August 1995 

sold to Egon Oldendorff (Hong 

Kong) Ltd., Hong Kong (LBR). 


153) GERDT OLDENDORFF (3) 

craned bulkcarrier – 44,000 tdw / 


199.00 x 30.00 x 10.98 m – 

1 five-stroke engine with 10,600 

151) TBN 

conveyor belt self-unloader 

71.000 tdw – 225 x 32.2 x 14.2 m – 

2-stroke 6-cylinder engine with 

14,666 HPe, built by Dalian, under 

licence of Burmeister & Wain 

Ordered with Jiangnan Shipyard 

(No. 2228) for delivery in July 1998. 

HP, made under Sulzer-licence, 

14,5 knots 

Ordered with Guanghzou 

Shipyard (No. 513/4) for delivery 

in March 1998.

◆ 

Building 

The 

Future 

◆ 

Up to the time of publishing this 

book, the current decade has been 

quite eventful for Egon Oldendorff. 

But development does not stop here, 

and this last chapter attempts to 

forecast future events by describing 

the newbuildings which will join the 

fleet in the next few years. 

Furthermore, it contains a brief 

update on how Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft 

will have fared in its 

first seven years under EO control 

and it also lists the ships operated 

commercially by Egon Oldendorff 

on a period timecharter basis during 

the past six years. 

A new subsidiary company came 

into being in March 1995. Operating 

from the Egon Oldendorff 

headquarters at Lübeck, Concept 

Carriers GmbH & Co. KG is a ship 

and cargo operator which will 

complement the activities of its 

parent company and which offers 

additional and new business 

opportunities. Concept Carriers is a 

member of the growing ‘family’ of 

EO companies and benefits from the 

financial backing and resources of its 

parent. However, it carries out its 

activities as an independent and 

separate business unit led by Frank 

Eger. 

Thus far it has primarily relied on 

timechartered tonnage for worldwide 

carriage of bulk and unitized 

commodities booked variously as 

parcels, full cargoes or under 

contracts of affreightment. 

In its successful first ten months of 

operation, Concept Carriers typically 

had around seven or eight vessels of 

between 28,000 and 45,000 tdw on 

long period timecharter, while more 

than 100 fixtures for timecharter trips 

ranging from 40 to 60 days have 

been concluded for similar tonnage. 

For Egon Oldendorff, Concept 

Carriers is a valuable learning 

experience ultimately aimed at 

obtaining better access to cargoes. 

Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft 

mbH & Co. KG (FSG) will continue 

to face challenges as it moves into 

the second half of the 1990s under its 

managing director, Fred Garbe. 

The shipyard had been rescued, in 

March 1990, by Egon Oldendorff, 

after a four-year bankruptcy period 

with not a single order in its books. 

Since then, the shipyard has achieved 

a remarkable turn-around. Its 

orderbook is filled into the year 1997, 

seven years after the company was 

acquired. 

215

More than 20 contracts worth in 

excess of DM 1 billion represent a 

successful come-back for FSG which 

has a reputation for quality 

workmanship, solid steel construction 

methods and for keeping delivery 

dates. The hardest part was 

changing the production planning 

methods and improving efficiency. 

In the event, productivity has been 

vastly improved, and the yard now 

turns out three large vessel per 

annum, as compared with the 

previous two p.a., with an 

unchanged workforce of 600 

dedicated employees. The ECOBOX 

type of vessel of which a total of ten 

units have been ordered so far, has 

proved a very successful product 

line. 

As FSG is about to enter its 125th 

year, market conditions are still 

fiercly competitive. A strong national 

currency, extremely high wages and 

social expenses add to the burdens. 

FSG will have to continue to improve 

its productivity and to make use 

of ‘financial engineering’ tools 

to be able to offer attractive packages 

to its customers. 

216 

TRADE SOL, the first Ecobox built by FSG (FotoFlite) 

The first seven years: Orders for delivery 1990-1996 from FSG 

Hull Nº Vessel Size Buyer Delivery 

676 Hopper-Dredger GUAYANA 12,000 tdw Incanal, Venezuela 6/1990 

677 MP Tween/Cont. vsl POL EUROPE 21,000 tdw/1,300 TEU Egon Oldendorff 1/1992 

678 MP Tween/Cont. vsl POL ASIA 21,000 tdw/1,300 TEU Egon Oldendorff 6/1992 

679 Doubleskin Pushbarge ODIN 14,500 tdw Svitzer (A. P. Møller) 2/1991 

680 Doubleskin Pushbarge THOR 14,500 tdw Svitzer (A. P. Møller) 4/1991 

– Ferry Conversation contracts 26/52 m elongations DFDS/Stena AB 8+10/1990 

683 Doubleskin Pushbarge BRAGE 14,500 tdw Svitzer (A. P. Møller) 8/1992 

684 Doubleskin Pushbarge BALDUR 14,500 tdw Svitzer (A. P. Møller) 10/1992 

681 Tender ‘Type 404’ RHEIN Navy support vessel German Navy 10/1993 

682 Tender ‘Type 404’ WERRA Navy support vessel German Navy 12/1993 

685 ECOBOX CC42 TRADE SOL 42,000 tdw/2,480 TEU Sinotrans, China 4/1994 

686 ECOBOX CC42 TRADE COSMOS 42,000 tdw/2,480 TEU Sinotrans, China 10/1994 

688 ECOBOX CC42 JAMES LYKES 42,000 tdw/2,480 TEU ALTS/Lykes Lines 3/1995 

689 ECOBOX CC42 JOSEPH LYKES 42,000 tdw/2,480 TEU ALTS/Lykes Lines 8/1995 

696 ECOBOX CC42 JOHN LYKES 42,000 tdw/2,480 TEU ALTS/Lykes Lines 12/1995 

691 ECOBOX CC42 42,000 tdw/2,480 TEU ALTS/Lykes Lines 4/1996 

687 ECOBOX CC34 CCNI CHILOE 34,000 tdw/2,000 TEU MPC/CCNI, Chile 8/1996 

692 ECOBOX CC34 CCNI AYSEN 34,000 tdw/2,000 TEU MPC/CCNI, Chile 12/1996

Since 1990 Egon Oldendorff and its 

subsidiaries, Oldendorff Asia and 

Concept Carriers have taken an 

increasing number of ships on 

timecharter for varying periods. 

The intention is to supplement the 

owned fleet with additional tonnage 

chartered-in, thereby broadening 

the exposure and gaining more 

experience in certain sectors, but 

also to cater for contract cargoes or 

parcels, and to reach critical mass for 

better market support and enhanced 

earnings. 

The table on page 219 lists 30 ships, 

half of which have been fixed 

for periods of two years or more, 

some for up to eight years. 

The following ships deserve special 

mention: Panamax newbuilding LUISE 

OLDENDORFF owned by Teh Hu, 

panamax IRENE OLDENDORFF owned 

by Sinochem, the two semi-open 

box-shaped Taiheiyo newbuildings, 

the box-shaped Wismar OBC type 

SOLIN, and the conveyor-belt 

self-unloader newbuilding 

HAI WANG XING. 

Bulk carriers LUISE OLDENDORFF (above) and IRENE OLDENDORFF (page 219), (FotoFlite) 

the only ships in long-term timecharters to Oldendorff to be given Oldendorff names. 

217

The owned fleet which remains the 

very core of Egon Oldendorff 

activities, has been constantly 

renewed during the last decades. 

On average, three to four newbuildings 

per annum are required 

just to maintain the average age of a 

fleet of 50 to 60 vessels. Fleet renewal 

can also be achieved through secondhand 

acquisitions and Egon Oldendorff 

will continue to purchase 

attractively-priced used vessels. 

At the time of going to press, eleven 

newbuildings have been firmly 

ordered by Egon Oldendorff, for 

delivery in 1996, 1997 and 1998: 

218 

All newbuildings will be built 

primarily from thick mild steel for 

better vessel durability and also to 

avoid costly major steel renewals in 

later years. The lightweight is typically 

some 40 % higher than e.g. for Koreanbuilt 

standard designs. This affords 

the option of trading the ships over 

a life cycle of 25 to 30 years and is 

an important part of the Egon Oldendorff 

corporate policy, as opposed to 

the philosophy of asset traders. 

For precisely the same reasons Egon 

Oldendorff is not interested in 

undertaking third-party shipmanagement 

against a service fee. By 

managing only its own assets the 

Hull No. Shipyard tdw TEU Type Delivery 

683/3 Gdansk/Poland 49,000 2,100 OHBS 8/1996 

683/4 Gdansk/Poland 49,000 2,100 OHBS 10/1996 

280/3 Dalian/China 29,000 1,200 OHBS 11/1996 

280/4 Dalian/Chia 29,000 1,200 OHBS 3/1997 

9515 Wuhu/China 20,000 900 OHBS 5/1997 




2228 Jiangnan/China 71,000 6,000 tph Self-unloader 7/1998 

513/3 Guanghzou/China 44,000 craned bulker 11/1997 

513/4 Guanghzou/China 44,000 craned bulker 3/1998 

company does not have to justify 

increasing operating expenses in any 

one year which may be inevitably 

necessary to keep costs down in 

subsequent years, or may extend a 

ship’s useful life. Barring few 

notable exceptions it is felt in Egon 

Oldendorff that shipmanagers 

depending on fees do not as a rule 

apply the same dedication and 

commitment to maintaing an asset in 

excellent shape that they would if 

they were to own the asset 

themselves. 

The newbuildings will incorporate 

the following features:

List of Vessels on Period Time Charter 

Nº Charterer Vessels Name Dead- Type Dura- Deli- Redeweight 

tion very livery 

1 Oldendorff GREAT GLEN 27,931 Bulker short 09/90 12/90 

2 Oldendorff Asia CALEDONIAN PRINCE 41,829 Bulker 2 years 11/91 09/93 

3 Oldendorff PANACEA 45,244 Bulker short 06/91 07/91 

4 Oldendorff Asia LOK PREM 26,710 Bulker 1 year 05/91 06/94 

5 Oldendorff RALU 22,066 Bulker short 07/90 12/90 

6 Oldendorff KAPITAN TRUBKIN 27,082 Bulker short 05/92 12/92 

7 Oldendorff ROMAN KARMEN 39,413 Bulker 1 year 07/92 06/93 

8 Oldendorff TAMAMIMA 18,500 Tween 1 year 01/94 02/95 

9 Oldendorff TAMATHAI 18,500 Tween 1+1 years 12/93 

10 Oldendorff TAMAPATCHAREE 18,500 Tween 1+1 years 01/95 

11 Oldendorff SOLIN 24,374 Bulker 2+2 years 02/95 

12 Oldendorff LUISE OLDENDORFF 72,700 Bulker 6+1+1 y. 11/94 

13 Oldendorff IRENE OLDENDORFF 62,210 Bulker 5+1.5 y. 10/92 

14 Oldendorff COLUMBUS OLIVOS 23,930 Cont. 2+2 years 12/94 

15 Oldendorff Asia PAC QUEEN 26,666 Bulker 2 years 04/95 

Nº Charterer Vessels Name Dead- Type Dura- Deliweight 

tion very 

16 Concept Carriers SPAR TWO 35,971 Bulker 1 year 01/95 

17 Concept Carriers KAPITAN SOROKA 34,170 Bulker 1 year 03/95 

18 Oldendorff Asia MARIA F. 24,712 Bulker 1.5 years 04/95 

19 Concept Carriers SANMAR PAVILLION 36,400 Bulker 1 year 06/95 

20 Oldendorff Asia LINCOLN K. 15,144 Tween 1 year 01/95 

21 Concept Carriers VERNER 37,662 Bulker 1 year 07/95 

22 Oldendorff HAI WANG XING 38,997 Selfunl. 2+1+1+1 y. 06/95 

23 Oldendorff FROTA SINGAPORE 14,249 Tween Pool 08/95 

24 Oldendorff Asia BEL AZUR 14,249 Tween Pool 08/95 

25 Concept Carriers HANDY EXPLORER 34,072 Bulker 3 years 10/95 

26 Concept Carriers HANDY SUCCESS 34,072 Bulker 2 years 09/96 

27 Concept Carriers OCEAN TRADER 42,053 Bulker 2 years 11/95 

28 Oldendorff Asia EVER FOREST 26,973 Bulker 3+1+1 y. 11/95 

29 Oldendorff Asia TAIHEIYO TBN 1 23,500 Bulker 5 years 11/96 

30 Oldendorff Asia TAIHEIYO TBN 2 23,500 Bulker 3 years 02/97 

Furthermore, the three Oldendorff companies have taken many vessels on T/C trip basis and have booked cargoes/parcels for these trips. 

IRENE OLDENDORFF on River Scheldt. (Photograph: Eilhart Buttkus) 

For sketches of four of the newlydesigned 

ship types (page 220) 

please refer to pages 16/17. 

All ships feature coating and corrosionprotection 

schemes of a high 

standard, also alternate hold loading, 

grain stability, CO2 in holds, doubleskin 

hull throughout and generally, 

a maintenance-friendly layout. 

The box-shaped vessels are eminently 

suitable for the carriage of a variety 

of unitized cargoes such as forest and 

paper products, steel, pipes, 

packaged and/or palletized and/or 

bagged cargoes as well as containers, 

219

project cargo and various bulk and neobulk 

commodities. Considering the 

diminishing number of tweendeckers 

in the world cargo fleet the smaller 

size OHBS ships could be termed 

‘multipurpose replacement’ type 

vessels, but this should not distract from 

their versatility which includes hand- 

220 

49,000 tdw Open- Hatch Box- Shaped (OHBS) Ships, ex Gdansk 

49,000 tdw on 12m draft, 199.98m loa/30.8m breadth, DNV class 

5 holds and 5 open hatches, mostly 26.4 x 25.2m, hydraulically folding covers 

2,100 TEU, 4 x 35 tonne electro-hydraulic high-speed deck cranes, timber stanchions, 

60,000 cu m, tanktop strength 20 tonnes/sq m, high container stackweights 

Sulzer 5RTA62U of 11,800 HP, 3 x 925 HP auxiliaries, speed 14.5 knots 

lightweight abt. 11,750 tonnes / 88% mild steel 

29,000 tdw Open- Hatch Box-Shaped (OHBS) Ships, ex Dalian 

29,000 tdw on 9.98m draft, 181m loa / 26m breadth, ABS class 

5 holds and 5 open hatches, mostly 25 x 22.5m with hydraulically folding covers 

1,200 TEU, 5 x 30 tonne electro-hydraulic Liebherr deck cranes, combinable to 60 tonnes 

36,300 cu m, tanktop strength 23 tonnes/sq m, fully squared off in all holds 

B&W 5S50MC of 8,700 HP, 3 x 680 HP auxiliaries/shaft generator, 14 knots 


20,000 tdw Open-Hatch Box-Shaped (OHBS) Ships, ex Wuhu 

20,000 tdw on 9.75m draft, 151m loa / 23.1m breadth, Lloyd’s class 

4 holds and 4 open hatches, mostly 19 x 20m with hydraulically folding covers 

900 TEU (not fitted), 3 x 30 tonne electro-hydraulic Hägglund deck cranes 

24,000 cu m, tanktop strength 20 tonnes/sq m, timber stanchions 

B&W 6L50MC of 10,500 HP (derated), 3 x 600 HP auxiliaries/shaft generator, 14 knots 


71,000 tdw Conveyor-Belt Self-Unloader (S/U), ex Jiangnan 

71,000 tdw on 14.2m draft, 225m loa / 32.2m breadth, Lloyd’s class 

7 holds and 9 hatches with side-rolling covers, bow thruster 

70,000 cu m, conveyor-belt self-unloading system with 80m discharge boom, 

unloading capacity up to 6,000 tonnes/h, dust suppression/noise reduction systems 

B&W 6S60MC of 14,666 HP (derated), auxiliaries: 2 x 1,750 HP, 2 x 900 HP, 15 knots 


2 x 44,000 tdw Craned Bulkcarriers, ex Guanghzou 

44,000 tdw on 10.98 m draft, 199 m loa / 30.0 m breadth, Germanischer Lloyd class 

6 holds and 6 hatches, each 18.8 m wide with hydraulically folding covers 

56,000 cu m, tanktop strength 22 t/sq m, auxiliaries 3 x 700 HP, 14.5 knots 

lightweight abt. 10,000 tonnes / 80 % mild steel 

ling of bulk cargoes in grabstrengthened 

holds. Egon Oldendorff intends 

to deploy the 49,000 tonners and the 

29,000 tonners in pools operated 

together with Danish shipowners. 

Technical management of the vessels 

will be a Lübeck headoffice 

responsibility. 

Two ‘wide hatch’ craned handymax 

bulkcarriers of 44,000 tdw will be 

leased under a bareboat charter with 

purchase options from clients of MPC 

Capital, Hamburg. The units are 

scheduled for delivery in November 

1997 and March 1998 from 

Guangzhou Shipyard and earmarked 

for the operations of Concept 

Carriers. 

The panamax self-unloader is 

earmarked to slot into the pool 

operated by CSL International Inc., 

headquartered at Beverley near 

Boston/Mass. in the United States. 

Canada Steamship Lines / CSL International 

have ordered two sisterships 

for delivery in the first and fourth 

quarters of 1998. EO and CSL each 

have one option for a further vessel 

for delivery in 1999. Jiangnan 

Shipyard, China’s second-largest 

shipbuilding company after Dalian 

shipyard, recently celebrated its 

130th anniversary. 

Self-unloaders can discharge bulk 

cargoes faster and without requiring 

shore-based handling equipment.

The pool will then consist of six 

panamax vessels, three from each 

partner, plus a number of charteredin 

panamax or handysized selfunloaders. 

Most of these ships trade 

under long-term contracts of 

affreightment, mainly in South 

America, Europe, both coasts of 

North America and in the Caribbean. 

CSL and Egon Oldendorff are pleased 

with the commercial success of the 

pool, and their recent three-ship 

newbuilding order underscores 

both parties’ commitment to the 

self-unloader principle. The new 

generation of conveyor-belt selfunloaders 

will incorporate many 

innovative improvements of the 

unloading system with the object of 

simplifying the unloading process, 

improving the control of the unloading 

rate whilst also permitting 

to handle a wider variety of cargoes. 

The ships will be equipped with 

built-in noise and dust suppression 

facilities enabling them to discharge 

dusty bulk cargoes in the most 

environment-protective manner. 

YEOMAN BANK on Elbe 1 roads awaiting discharging orders. (Photograph: Eilhart Buttkus) 

221

View of weatherdeck of bulk carrier UNITED VENTURE ex HELGA OLDENDORFF (2). (Photograph: Svendinde von Loessel) 

222

Henning Oldendorff has guided the 

firm of Egon Oldendorff in new 

directions. Throughout that process 

he was able to build on his father’s 

experience and reputation. 

Having taken his A levels and after 

completing compulsory military 

service in the German navy, he was 

trained as a shipping apprentice in 

Hamburg and worked as a trainee 

broker in London, New York and San 

Francisco. 

Henning Oldendorff returned to 

Lübeck in 1980 and worked 

alongside his father for three and 

one half years. His first major deals 

for the family-owned company 

were the acquisition of the sixmonth 

old panamax bulker SEA SCOUT 

(ex-KAREN T.) and negotiating the 

order for the subsequent sistership 

newbuildings. 

His father died when Henning Oldendorff 

was 26 years of age. During the 

last 14 years he bought about 60 ships 

of which half were newbuildings or 

newbuilding re-sales. The average 

age of the EO fleet has been reduced 

from 12.5 to 7.5 years. 

At the turn of the years 1995/1996, 

Egon Oldendorff and its associated 

companies employ about 2,100 staff 

in shipping and shipbuilding. The 

current fleet list of about 78 ships 

(including 23 ships on timecharter) 

totals some 2,500,000 tdw and about 

40,000 TEU, comprising bulk carriers, 

self-unloaders, open-hatch vessels, 

containerships as also tweendeck/ 

container multipurpose vessels. 

Approximately 1,400 seafarers from 

43 countries serve on board the EO 

fleet. Just under 100 staff work in the 

offices of Egon Oldendorff and 

Concept Carriers in Lübeck and of 

Oldendorff Asia in Singapore. The 

shipbuilding subsidiary, FSG of 

Flensburg employs 600 staff. The 

Oldendorff companies are also 

engaged in real estate and farming. 

The Oldendorff companies continues 

to be fully family-owned. Henning 

Oldendorff values his independence 

since quick decision-making without 

prior reference to outsiders 

is vital in the cyclical shipping 

industry. 

Egon Oldendorff celebrates its 75th 

anniversary more than a decade after 

its founder died on 9th May 1984. 

He started the firm in Hamburg from 

humble beginnings in 1921 and built 

up a respectable fleet twice, before 

and after world War II. His son, 

Henning Oldendorff, characterizes 

him as having been conservative and 

bold at the same time, cost conscious 

down to minute detail but generous 

when he sensed a rewarding 

business opportunity: 

„He had the courage to go his own 

way and did not listen to the fainthearted. 

But he was cautious enough 

to steer a prudent course for the longterm 

benefit of the company and his 

employees. All of us, afloat and 

ashore, will continue to live up to the 

founder’s standards of commitment 

and responsibility, which had always 

been high.“ 

The rejuvenated fleet may have 

changed its face over the years, the 

company expanded into shipbuilding 

and timecharter/ cargo operator 

activities, but the spirit of the 

founder, Egon Oldendorff, lives on. 

223

224

Fleet Positions 

as of July 1995 

225

226 

POSITIONS REEDER UND SCHIFFSMAKLER 

21/11/1995 

BULKCARRIERS tdw built cranes TEU charter free 

LINDA OLDENDORFF 75,100 95 B&W gearless ➾ 8/12 Trinidad 

DORA OLDENDORFF 73,974 74 Rijeka gearless February 1996 

LUISE OLDENDORFF (T/C) 72,873 94 Samsung gearless end December 1995 

BALTIC MERMAID 64,145 84 B&W gearless 1,000 ➾ 29/11 Continent 

MARINE RANGER 63,940 84 B&W gearless ➾ 21/11 Continent 

IRENE OLDENDORFF (T/C) 62,210 82 Hashihama gearless January 1996 

■ Newbuilding 513/3 ( HUGO O.) 44,000 97 Guangzhou 4 x 30 t November 1997 

■ Newbuilding 513/4 (GERDT O.) 44,000 98 Guangzhou 4 x 30 t March 1998 

■ OCEAN TRADER (T/C) 42,053 84 Nipponkai 4 x 25 t ➾ 2/1/96 Morocco 

■ AYIA MARINA (T/C) 38,816 84 IHI 4 x 25 t ➾ 22/12 Varna 

■ VERNER (T/C) 37,662 84 Kanasashi 4 x 25 t ➾ 14/12 Brazil 

■ SANMAR PAVILLION (T/C) 36,400 77 Imabari 4 x 25 t ➾ 10/1/96 Chile 

■ SPAR 2 (T/C) 35,971 82 Imabari 4 x 25 t ➾ 28/12 Turkey 

■ KAPITAN SOROKA (T/C) 34,170 81 Gdynia 4 x 25 t April 1996 

■ HANDY SUCCESS (T/C) 34,072 82 Mitsubishi 4 x 25 t October 1996 

■ HANDY EXPLORER (T/C) 34,072 82 Mitsubishi 4 x 25 t ➾ 20/12 Turkey 

RIXTA OLDENDORFF 28,031 86 Dalian 4 x 25 t ➾ 8/12 Japan 

REGINA OLDENDORFF 28,031 86 Dalian 4 x 25 t ➾ 26/12 Far East 

■ HELENA OLDENDORFF 28,354 84 Jiangnan 4 x 25 t ➾ 7/12 Black Sea 

✪ EVER FOREST (T/C) 

✪ Pacqueen (T/C) 

✪ MARIA F. (T/C) 

✪ TAIHEIYO TBN (T/C) 

✪ TAIHEIYO TBN (T/C) 

✪ HANS OLDENDORFF 

✪ LUCY OLDENDORFF 

✪ ELISABETH OLDENDORFF 

✪ CAROLINE OLDENDORFF 

✪ DOROTHEA OLDENDORFF 

✪ DORTHE OLDENDORFF 

✪ GRETKE OLDENDORFF 

✪ ERNA OLDENDORFF 

✪ ANNA OLDENDORFF 

26,973 

26,666 

24,712 

23,500 

23,500 

22,531 

22,160 

22,154 

22,150 

22,145 

22,059 

22,050 

18,355 

18,297 

89 Minami 

86 Imabari 

80 Onomichi 

96 Onomichi 

97 Onomichi 

79 Kurushima 

92 Onomichi 

92 Onomichi 

93 Onomichi 

93 Onomichi 

94 Onomichi 

94 Onomichi 

94 Shikoku 

94 Shikoku 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 25 t 

4 x 30-60 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 25 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 30 t 

4 x 30 t 

➾ 5/12 Japan 

➾ 20/12 South Korea 

February 1996 

November 1996 

February 1997 

(derr) January 1996 

➾ 20/12 Japan 

January 1996 

January 1996 

➾ 30/12 Japan 

➾ 17/12 Japan 

➾ 20/12 Japan 

➾ 25/11 Japan 

January 1996 

OPEN HATCH BOX SHAPED (OHBS) VESSELS 

Newbuilding 683/3 48,800 96 Gdansk 4 x 35 t 2,100 August 1996 

Newbuilding 683/4 48,800 96 Gdansk 4 x 35 t 2,100 September 1996 

Newbuilding 280/3 29,300 96 Dalian 5 x 30-60 t 1,200 November 1996 

Newbuilding 280/4 29,300 97 Dalian 5 x 30-60 t 1,200 March 1997 

Newbuilding 9515 20,000 97 CSSC/Wuhu 3 x 30 t 900 May 1997 

Newbuilding 9516 20,000 97 CSSC/Wuhu 3 x 30 t 900 October 1997 

Newbuilding 9517 20,000 98 CSSC/Wuhu 3 x 30 t 900 March 1998 

Newbuilding 9518 20,000 98 CSSC/Wuhu 3 x 30 t 900 August 1998 

SOLIN (T/C) 24,374 85 Wismar 4 x 25-48 t 802 February 1996 

✪ = commercially controlled by OLDENDORFF ASIA (PTE) LTD., Singapore 

■ = commercially controlled by CONCEPT CARRIERS GmbH&Co.KG, Lübeck 

❖ = commercially controlled by CSL - EO POOL, Beverly / USA

POSITIONS REEDER UND SCHIFFSMAKLER 

30/12/1994 

CONVEYOR BELT 

SELFUNLOADERS tdw built cranes TEU charter free 

YEOMAN BROOK 77,549 90 Daewoo 6000 t/h disch March 2011 

❖ BERNHARD OLDENDORFF 77,499 91 Daewoo 6000 t/h disch CSL/EO Pool 

❖ Newbuilding 2228 71,000 98 Jiangnan 6000 t/h disch July 1998 

❖ CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF 62,732 82 Govan c88 4500 t/h disch CSL/EO Pool 

YEOMAN BANK 38,997 82 Eleusis c91 3500 t/h disch November 2000 

❖ HAI WANG XING (T/C) 37,532 95 Br. Vulkan 3500 t/h disch CSL/EO Pool 

CELLULAR CONTAINER CARRIERS 

MSC ANTONIA (BIRTE O.) 33,863 85 Hyundai gearless 1,800 January 2000 

MSC GIORGIA (TETE O.) 33,823 85 Hyundai gearless 1,800 March 2000 

SINGAPORE EXPRESS (GEBE O.) 30,684 81 France c93 gearless 2,014 August 1997 

PYRMONT BRIDGE (HINRICH O.) 27,930 81 France ConRo 1,704 January 1997 

MONTE PASCOAL (T/C) 23,930 80 U.K. c86 4 x 36 t 1,400 January 1997 

FRANCOLI 14,160 84 Nobiskrug 2 x 40 t 1,033 B/B until 2003 

CTE MAGALLANES 14,200 83 Nobiskrug 2 x 40 t 1,033 B/B until 1998 

MPP TWEEN/CONTAINER VESSELS 

EMMA OLDENDORFF 29,331 83 Hyundai 4 x 26 t 1,100 ➾ 5/1/96 South Korea 

ECKERT OLDENDORFF 29,331 83 Hyundai 4 x 26 t 1,100 January 1996 

EIBE OLDENDORFF 29,331 84 Hyundai 4 x 26 t 1,100 ➾ 15/12 South Korea 

HARMEN OLDENDORFF 23,477 82 Hyundai 4 x 25-50 t 616 January 1996 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF 23,503 83 Hyundai 4 x 25-50 t 616 ➾ 12/12 Hong Kong 

T. A. EXPLORER (DIETRICH O.) 22,800 87 England 6 x 32-120 t 1,000 September 1997 

T. A. VOYAGER (JOHANNA O.) 22,800 87 England 6 x 32-120 t 1,000 July 1997 

CCNI AUSTRAL 24,190 92 Naikai 4 x 30-35 t 1,300 September 1998 

HELGA OLDENDORFF 21,681 92 FSG 3 x 36-70 t 1,308 July 1998 

HENRIETTE OLDENDORFF 21,763 92 FSG 3 x 36-70 t 1,308 July 1998 

NZOL CHALLENGER (HILLE O.) 21,061 82c NKK 5 x 25-50 t 633 January 1998 

NZOL CRUSADER (IMME O.) 21,061 82c NKK 5 x 25-50 t 633 February 1998 

T.A. ADVENTURER (MARIA O.) 20,380 88c Warnow 4 x 25-82 t 1,100 June 1999 

T.A. DISCOVERER (BEATE O.) 20,430 90c Warnow 4 x 25-82 t 1,100 August 1999 

JOBST OLDENDORFF 12,803 83 CCN c89 4 x 16-30 t 500 ➾ 5/12 ECSA 

TWEENDECKERS 

CLINTON K (T/C) 18,500 79 A&P derr/HL 60 t 400 ➾ 3/1/96 East Med 

LADY REBECCA (T/C) 18,500 79 A&P derr/HL 60 t 400 ➾ 18/12 China 

✪ LINCOLN K (T/C) 15,144 77 IHI 4 x 20 + 8 x 10 t January 1996 

✪ GOOD FAITH 15,060 79 A&P derr/HL 100 t 170 ➾ 28/11 West Med 

✪ GLOBE TRADER 15,060 80 A&P derr/HL 100 t 170 ➾ 3/1/96 Continent 

✪ FROTA DURBAN 14,284 80 CCN Maua 8 x 5-40 t 218 June 1996 

✪ FROTA SINGAPORE (T/C) 14,249 82 CCN Maua 8 x 5-40 t 218 July 1996 

✪ BEL AZUR (T/C) 14,249 80 CCN Maua 8 x 5-40 t 218 January 1996 

78 vessels (incl. 23 on T/C) with abt. 2,500,000 tdw / abt. 40,000 TEU / average age abt. 7.5 years „c“ = converted 

✪ = commercially controlled by OLDENDORFF ASIA (PTE) LTD., Singapore 

■ = commercially controlled by CONCEPT CARRIERS GmbH&Co.KG, Lübeck 

❖ = commercially controlled by CSL - EO POOL, Beverly / USA 

Shown on these pages is 

a typical Posisition List, 

as is distributed to shipbrokers 

on a weekly basis. 

It indicates when/where 

the vessels will be 

charter free. 

227

228 

REEDER UND SCHIFFSMAKLER 

In-house magazines called CREWSLETTER 

served to keep seafarers and office staff 

abreast of events ashore and on board. 

Seven issues were published from 

December 1987. 

As of July 1991 the magazine is captioned The Letter from Egon Oldendorff L.E.O. 

and is being published twice annually.

229

230 

Current sea-going staff, who have been with E.O. for more than 10 years 

Rank Name First Name Nationality First Contract 

started on 

Master LAUX Walter Germany 25.02.1957 

Cook NIKOLOWIUS Rüdiger Germany 23.01.1962 

Master DEHMKE Henry Germany 15.05.1962 

Master DELFS Dirk Germany 17.09.1962 

Chief Engineer JAHN Ernst Germany 20.03.1963 

Chief Engineer RINGK Hubertus Germany 05.12.1963 

Boatswain PETH Reinhard Germany 17.05.1964 

Master MONDEN Heinz Germany 05.07.1965 

Master KALIS Cornelis Netherlands 14.09.1965 

2nd Officer STÖLKEN Hans-Peter Germany 01.04.1966 

Master GERBODE Herbert Germany 12.05.1966 

Master EISMA Roeby Netherlands 28.01.1967 

Boatswain KNUTZEN Peter-Jürgen Germany 13.03.1967 

Chief Officer BOLDT Alexander Germany 01.08.1967 

Chief Engineer WULLF Helmut Germany 06.09.1967 

Chief Engineer NAGEL Peter Germany 06.10.1967 

2nd Engineer CORDES Rolf Germany 27.12.1967 

Able Seaman DIAZ MIRANDA Jorge Peru 14.09.1968 

Master MENSSEN Peter Germany 07.03.1969 

Radio Officer SPOTORNO Giovanni Italy 06.07.1969 

Steward DA CONCEICAO Manoel Brazil 26.09.1969 

Storekeeper ZANDECK Manfred Germany 06.05.1970 

Storekeeper BETH Michael Germany 29.08.1970 

Master EL DIB Zakaria Netherlands 10.09.1970 

2nd Officer D’SYLVA Winston India 25.01.1971 

Chief Officer ADLAWAN Expedito Philippines 29.03.1971 

Cook HEINRICH Gerd-Uwe Germany 01.09.1971 

Chief Engineer LOPES Mark India 15.09.1971 

Master LOYOLA Arthur Philippines 06.10.1971 

Able Seaman MONTEIRO OLIVEIRA Adelino Cape Verde Islands 19.10.1971 

Motorman OLAVARRIA DEJEAS Juan Chile 04.11.1971 

Electrician SCHWARZER Rainer Germany 09.03.1972 

Cook BRITO Joao Cape Verde Islands 03.06.1972 

Master PINEDA Rodolfo Philippines 13.10.1972 

Storekeeper NILL Klaus Germany 05.02.1973 

Master HAACKER Karl Germany 17.02.1973 

Electrician DISTURA Bernardo Philippines 05.03.1973 

Chief Officer MALAN Angel Philippines 03.04.1973 

Storekeeper HALL Hillary Liberia 06.04.1973 

Cook TAUBNER Helmut Austria 20.04.1973 

Boatswain SOARES Antonio Cape Verde Islands 02.05.1973 

Boatswain YEN Mehmet Turkey 20.05.1973 

Steward OEZKAN Sefer Turkey 08.07.1973 


started on 

Steward NEVES Manuel Portugal 12.07.1973 

Electrician ARELLANO Antonio Philippines 03.09.1973 

Boatswain YATIM Mukmin Indonesia 03.09.1973 

Chief Officer PADILLA Ismael Philippines 25.09.1973 

Master KOOS Barnim Germany 13.10.1973 

Chief Engineer MASCARENHAS Dennis India 14.01.1974 

Motorman UGAS Cesar Peru 26.01.1974 

Able Seaman FURTADO MENDES Carlos Cape Verde Islands 27.05.1974 

Storekeeper TOLENTINO Ruperto Philippines 27.05.1974 

Electrician GARCIA Dominador Philippines 06.07.1974 

Boatswain ORTIZ Luisito Philippines 06.07.1974 

Boatswain KAYA Hidir Turkey 28.08.1974 

Steward EICKENBERG Alfred Germany 27.09.1974 

Storekeeper PEREZ MIRANDA Luis Chile 03.11.1974 

Cook HOEFELS Dieter Germany 22.11.1974 

2nd Officer YAP Severino Philippines 22.11.1974 

Able Seaman LIMA MENDES Joao Cape Verde Islands 20.02.1975 

M-Steward FORSYTHE Leonard Sri Lanka 05.03.1975 

Boatswain KARAHAN Enver Turkey 18.03.1975 

Boatswain YEN Mustafa Turkey 25.03.1975 

Chief Officer DOMASIN Manuel Philippines 21.05.1975 

Deckhand NICHOLAS Anthony Sri Lanka 25.05.1975 

Able Seaman MENSAH John Ghana 24.06.1975 

Able Seaman RAMOS Jorge Portugal 09.07.1975 

2nd Engineer ZONKA Ante Austria 29.07.1975 

Master RÜTTEN Reinhard Germany 10.08.1975 

Master MADHAVAN Raj Germany 03.09.1975 

Chief Engineer PLAHA Vijay India 07.10.1975 

Chief Officer GOMONIT Eladio Philippines 24.10.1975 

Motorman GOMES ROCHA Antonio Portugal 16.02.1976 

Able Seaman SOARES Alberto Cape Verde Islands 03.03.1976 

Able Seaman IDRUS - Indonesia 04.03.1976 

Cook CALUMARDE Pablo Philippines 19.03.1976 

Chief Engineer JUKIC Mario Croatia 13.05.1976 

Able Seaman SILVA BARROS Edgar Cape Verde Islands 24.05.1976 

Storekeeper MIRANDA Carlos Cape Verde Islands 24.06.1976 

Steward WATUPONGOH Eddy Indonesia 27.06.1976 

Radio Officer VASQUEZ Leonardo Philippines 06.07.1976 

Boatswain SHAMMAKH Abdul Indonesia 08.07.1976 

Cook DOS SANTOS Juliao Portugal 13.07.1976 

Chief Officer DIADULA Levi Philippines 28.07.1976 

Chief Officer MASANGYA Jaime Philippines 02.08.1976 

Storekeeper PATTYNASARANE Wilson Indonesia 04.08.1976


started on 

Boatswain GONCALVES Daniel Cape Verde Islands 10.08.1976 

Chief Engineer SENGUPTA Kalyan India 10.10.1976 

Electrician KUTTY Govindan India 02.11.1976 

Boatswain SUBING-SUBING Angelito Philippines 16.11.1976 

Master FEY Fred Germany 28.12.1976 

Steward SETHI Ajit India 01.02.1977 

Steward CANDEIA SANTOS Albertino Cape Verde Islands 08.02.1977 

Able Seaman KUNALINGAM Rajalingam Sri Lanka 21.02.1977 

Cook LAKANPISI Muchtar Indonesia 14.03.1977 

Motorman ARCOS BRAVO Sergio Chile 16.03.1977 

3rd Engineer SOARES SILVA Manuel Portugal 23.03.1977 

Steward DA SILVA FERREIRA Cosme Cape Verde Islands 14.04.1977 

Motorman KEVITIYAGALA Clarence Sri Lanka 05.05.1977 

Able Seaman SANTOS ROSA Celestino Cape Verde Islands 25.05.1977 

Boatswain RAWI Hidayat Indonesia 01.09.1977 

Able Seaman BALLESTER Ramon Philippines 18.11.1977 

Steward HARIS - Indonesia 21.11.1977 

Able Seaman HERNANDEZ Prudencio El Salvador 28.11.1977 

2nd Engineer ZORIC Josip Croatia 22.12.1977 

Cook GARCIA Roberto Philippines 13.01.1978 

3rd Officer BALDON Saddy Philippines 05.02.1978 

2nd Officer ORBETA Wilfredo Philippines 25.02.1978 

Steward ALMEIDA Napoleao Cape Verde Islands 01.03.1978 

Able Seaman USTA Seyfettin Turkey 11.03.1978 

Motorman PEREZ MIRANDA Raimundo Chile 18.03.1978 

2nd Officer GROZEN Salvador Philippines 08.04.1978 

Boatswain MANDT Dieter Germany 08.04.1978 

Boatswain KEVITIYAGALA Basil Sri Lanka 28.04.1978 

Able Seaman GONCALVES Gabriel Cape Verde Islands 01.05.1978 

Master LASEK Adam Germany 20.05.1978 

Motorman GALVEZ MENDEZ Jose Chile 22.06.1978 

Cook ESPIN Jose Philippines 04.07.1978 

Master LAWRENCE Derek India 04.07.1978 

Chief Engineer MARWAHA Chandra India 05.07.1978 

3rd Officer FERNANDEZ Hipolito Philippines 14.07.1978 

Master BEDAIR Ahmed Egypt 24.07.1978 

Boatswain BIN KASBY Baktiyono Indonesia 11.08.1978 

Chief Engineer GOKHALE Paramanand India 19.08.1978 

Steward DIMAUNAHAN Mario Philippines 23.08.1978 

Motorman OLAIVAR Noel Philippines 19.10.1978 

Radio Officer GODINHO Florence United Kingdom 06.11.1978 

Cook MÜLLER Hans-Jürgen Germany 18.11.1978 

Motorman SAMARASINGHE Sirisena Sri Lanka 18.11.1978 

3rd Engineer ASIRWARDAN Moses Sri Lanka 28.11.1978 

Able Seaman SALEH ANWAR Tjetje Indonesia 28.11.1978 


started on 

2nd Engineer GAELA Estelito Philippines 15.12.1978 

Deckhand LIMA Apolinario Cape Verde Islands 19.12.1978 

Storekeeper EICHHORN Johann Austria 09.01.1979 

Storekeeper KULANDAISAMY Jayam India 13.01.1979 

Chief Engineer JAKIC Ante Croatia 03.02.1979 

Motorman CROSS Glen India 24.02.1979 

2nd Officer EUFRE Manuel Philippines 06.03.1979 

Deckhand GARCIA Primo Philippines 06.03.1979 

Able Seaman SIXTO Eleuterio Philippines 06.03.1979 

Steward BOSE Kuppuchamy India 13.03.1979 

Able Seaman ORDINARIO Virgilio Philippines 13.03.1979 

Able Seaman PEREZ MIRANDA Dino Chile 13.03.1979 

Able Seaman SUNTHARAKUMAR Kanthasamythurai Sri Lanka 29.03.1979 

M-Steward SALMANOGLU Süleyman Turkey 02.05.1979 

Radio Officer ESTEBAN Xerxes Philippines 22.05.1979 

4th Engineer PREMADAS Arulambalam Sri Lanka 05.06.1979 

Chief Officer LIDOT Landerico Philippines 17.06.1979 

Boatswain KARA Ramazan Turkey 25.06.1979 

Able Seaman DOS SANTOS Martinho Portugal 14.08.1979 

Boatswain RAJALINGAM Indrapalan Sri Lanka 14.08.1979 

Motorman CASANOVA ROSERO Arturo Colombia 21.08.1979 

Steward WIMALASURIYA Rohan Sri Lanka 15.09.1979 

3rd Officer MANREAL Noel Philippines 04.10.1979 

2nd Officer VILLALUZ Nestorio Philippines 04.10.1979 

2nd Officer MORALES Percival Philippines 13.11.1979 

Electrician D’MELLO Agnello Portugal 26.11.1979 

Master TETTWEILER Wolfgang Germany 30.11.1979 

Motorman JANARTHANAN Krishnasamy India 13.12.1979 

2nd Officer CUETO Estelito Philippines 21.12.1979 

Motorman PANZEHIR Habib Turkey 22.12.1979 

Master SCHULTZE Henner Germany 27.12.1979 

Storekeeper DUARTE Adriano Portugal 04.01.1980 

Chief Officer QUINTONG Romeo Philippines 15.01.1980 

Storekeeper CHOWDHURY Luthful Bangladesh 17.01.1980 

Boatswain BATIR Cevdet Turkey 22.01.1980 

Able Seaman AVUMADOH Felix Ghana 25.01.1980 

Steward DE SILVA Madampage Sri Lanka 28.01.1980 

Able Seaman LIMA BAPTISTA Joao Cape Verde Islands 12.02.1980 

Boatswain LUMALESIL Domingus Indonesia 07.03.1980 

Able Seaman DOMPREH John Ghana 20.03.1980 

Boatswain TURNA Ayhan Turkey 28.03.1980 

Master YADAV Kamal India 29.03.1980 

Radio Officer PALIT Aloke India 05.04.1980 

Steward MAHENDRANATHAN Velautham Sri Lanka 21.05.1980 

Boatswain BIN SUPARDI Sudirman Indonesia 24.06.1980 

231

232 


started on 

Chief Engineer POWALSKI Henryk Poland 30.06.1980 

Boatswain ARAMBURO Jose Colombia 10.07.1980 

Storekeeper MORALES Romulo Philippines 14.07.1980 

M-Steward ENRIQUEZ Benjamin Philippines 17.07.1980 

Motorman FANGONILO Jorge Philippines 30.07.1980 

Able Seaman QUEZADA LOBOS Manuel Chile 01.08.1980 

3rd Engineer BOTAVARA Jose Philippines 15.08.1980 

Boatswain GOMEZ Ricardo Philippines 15.08.1980 

Able Seaman VILORIA Alberto Philippines 31.08.1980 

Able Seaman SIMSEK Mustafa Turkey 13.09.1980 

Storekeeper RITTER Günter Germany 16.09.1980 

Storekeeper SEDEF Kenan Turkey 19.09.1980 

Cook KLEINELANGHORST Manfred Germany 20.09.1980 

Boatswain BOSNEGEANU Vasile Romania 24.09.1980 

Steward SOPUAN Edyman Indonesia 27.09.1980 

Deckhand VIJAYANANDAN Shirley Sri Lanka 04.10.1980 

M-Steward AGUILLON Benigno Philippines 16.10.1980 

Cook EDNAVE Lamberto Philippines 16.10.1980 

3rd Officer GULMATICO Nestor Philippines 16.10.1980 

Boatswain MACAVINTA Rosendo Philippines 16.10.1980 

2nd Officer MAPA Panfilo Philippines 16.10.1980 

2nd Officer TENOSO Gregorio Philippines 16.10.1980 

Able Seaman AGDAS Ismail Turkey 14.11.1980 

Boatswain AKAR Mehmet Turkey 17.11.1980 

Cook SAGNIA Alhagi Gambia 18.11.1980 

Boatswain GOMES Manuel Cape Verde Islands 12.12.1980 

Master ABEYSENA Joseph Sri Lanka 23.12.1980 

Steward KOSASIH Bin Idi Indonesia 12.01.1981 

3rd Engineer LOPEZ Jovito Philippines 04.02.1981 

3rd Officer ANDRADA Edgardo Philippines 04.03.1981 

Radio Officer BABU Malayam India 23.03.1981 

Master NAIR Sethu India 23.03.1981 

Radio Officer VALDEZ Joseph Philippines 26.03.1981 

2nd Officer PACRES Jose Philippines 28.03.1981 

Deckhand CUERO VENTE Luis Colombia 30.03.1981 

Boatswain MANDIGMA Dominador Philippines 25.04.1981 

Electrician D’COSTA Michael India 29.04.1981 

Motorman KAYIKCI Yasar Turkey 03.05.1981 

Able Seaman QUEZADA LOBOS Alfonso Chile 13.05.1981 

Steward TARIGAN Tukang Indonesia 27.05.1981 

Motorman PEREIRA COSTA Antonio Cape Verde Islands 05.06.1981 

Boatswain PIAOAN Roy Philippines 11.06.1981 

Able Seaman GAZALI Imam Indonesia 26.06.1981 

Able Seaman NARIO Antero Philippines 06.07.1981 

Steward ZABALA Virginio Philippines 06.07.1981 


started on 

3rd Engineer SIMBOLON Amir Indonesia 07.07.1981 

2nd Engineer GAYEM Leonardo Philippines 16.07.1981 

Electrician DE Arun India 12.08.1981 

4th Engineer DOMINGO Gilberto Philippines 17.08.1981 

Radio Officer VELASQUEZ Nevardo Colombia 17.08.1981 

3rd Engineer RAMIREZ Rolando Philippines 27.08.1981 

3rd Officer SERASPI Homer Philippines 31.08.1981 

Able Seaman DADZIE John Ghana 01.09.1981 

Boatswain KADIR Jailani Indonesia 31.10.1981 

Able Seaman JOVER Eriberto Philippines 14.12.1981 

Able Seaman ASMAN Jumwar Indonesia 12.01.1982 

2nd Officer FETIZA Manolo Philippines 16.01.1982 

Boatswain USTA Kenan Turkey 19.01.1982 

Able Seaman RAMOS SANTOS Marino Portugal 26.01.1982 

Chief Officer ABUNALES Concordio Philippines 27.01.1982 

Boatswain ZAFRAK Arif Turkey 11.02.1982 

Boatswain MACADAGDAG Angelo Philippines 01.03.1982 

Able Seaman PARAISO Vincente Philippines 06.03.1982 

Able Seaman KASBY Bambang Indonesia 21.03.1982 

Able Seaman SYAFRIAL - Indonesia 22.03.1982 

Storekeeper NOYA Oreas Indonesia 25.03.1982 

Storekeeper LIM Fernando Philippines 19.04.1982 

Master WAHL Georg Germany 05.05.1982 

2nd Engineer WODE Berthold Germany 07.05.1982 

3rd Officer BUENDIA Roel Philippines 17.05.1982 

Chief Engineer RAJASEKARAN Muthiah India 15.06.1982 

Motorman PIRES Jose Portugal 25.06.1982 

Storekeeper BIN ZAHAR Zamrial Indonesia 05.07.1982 

Chief Engineer ASOKAN Kolangaroth India 06.07.1982 

Able Seaman PENAFLOR Honofre Philippines 13.09.1982 

Able Seaman SUDJANA Djaka Indonesia 05.10.1982 

Cook THAMBIRAJ Mohan Sri Lanka 07.10.1982 

Boatswain BASILIO Reynaldo Philippines 08.10.1982 

Steward HIPERTOR Juan Philippines 10.10.1982 

Master BANSAL Sameer India 11.10.1982 

Cook LIVRAMENTO Mario Portugal 11.10.1982 

Chief Engineer FERNANDES Antonio India 13.10.1982 

Electrician JAMBONGANAN Warlito Philippines 20.10.1982 

Storekeeper SOARES MONTEIRO Jorge Portugal 20.10.1982 

Electrician KUBIAK Wojciech Poland 23.10.1982 

Radio Officer TALINIO Cenon Philippines 07.11.1982 

Motorman CARPIO Virgilio Philippines 01.12.1982 

Boatswain RANASINGHE Baratha Sri Lanka 12.12.1982 

Motorman CALUMARDE Roberto Philippines 12.01.1983 

Able Seaman SPENCER Valerio Cape Verde Islands 23.01.1983


started on 

Master NARAYAN Shankara India 25.01.1983 

Master DREYER Peter Germany 26.01.1983 

Chief Engineer LUCIN Neven Croatia 29.01.1983 

Able Seaman LOPEZ Mauro Philippines 08.03.1983 

Chief Engineer PAL Asis India 18.05.1983 

4th Engineer GERONIMO Arnel Philippines 30.05.1983 

Able Seaman RIDI Aris Indonesia 02.06.1983 

3rd Engineer DOMINGO Rodolfo Philippines 07.06.1983 

Able Seaman BUCHARI Machmud Indonesia 20.06.1983 

Master KANTH Dietrich-Ernst Germany 01.09.1983 

Chief Engineer ARISTORENAS Felicito Philippines 22.11.1983 

Chief Officer SIDHWANI Vijay India 03.12.1983 

Chief Officer VIDAN Davor Croatia 05.02.1984 

Chief Officer BAROT Kirit India 14.02.1984 

Able Seaman HUSAINI Salman Indonesia 21.03.1984 

Electrician LEITNER Hubert Austria 25.03.1984 

Cook SCHMIDT Adolf Germany 28.03.1984 

3rd Officer GAYEM Fernando Philippines 12.04.1984 

Chief Engineer LANGE Henryk Poland 24.05.1984 

Motorman ALMEIDA DA GRACA Joao Cape Verde Islands 29.05.1984 

Steward YAPA PATHIRANNEHELAGE Udaya Sri Lanka 30.05.1984 

Master KAJTNA Alojz Slovenia 01.06.1984 

Master PODKOCKI Richard Germany 05.06.1984 

Able Seaman ABUNALES Celestino Philippines 10.06.1984 

Deckhand ALMADA ALVES Alberto Cape Verde Islands 13.06.1984 

Master LAUBINGER Carsten Germany 25.06.1984 

3rd Officer TENOSO Herman Philippines 09.08.1984 

Storekeeper TANSINGCO Manuel Philippines 17.08.1984 

Steward GRANZO Saturnino Philippines 19.08.1984 

Boatswain STA. ANA Juan Philippines 02.09.1984 

Master JELKEN Holger Germany 04.09.1984 

Electrician KIRSCH Hermann Germany 06.09.1984 


started on 

Able Seaman BUENAFLOR Mario Philippines 24.09.1984 

3rd Officer PARIAN Noel Philippines 01.10.1984 

Master VERMA Sanjay India 04.10.1984 

Able Seaman SIPOEN Ali Indonesia 15.10.1984 

Boatswain MONTALBA Felimon Philippines 24.10.1984 

Steward UL-ALAM Mahmud Bangladesh 25.10.1984 

Motorman DOMINGO Ariel Philippines 27.10.1984 

Master DE JONGH Cornelis Netherlands 04.11.1984 

Motorman LIM Victor Philippines 18.11.1984 

2nd Engineer VELFL Bozidar Croatia 28.02.1985 

Master EELMAN Jan-Aris Netherlands 12.03.1985 

Able Seaman SYAHRIL Ramal Indonesia 21.03.1985 

Motorman MALIK Mohammad Pakistan 26.03.1985 

2nd Officer TEODORO Manuel Philippines 12.04.1985 

Master GOMAA Negm Egypt 13.04.1985 

Storekeeper ASILO Danilo Philippines 07.05.1985 

Motorman BIN DUYA Dusmal Indonesia 23.06.1985 

Chief Engineer JAMES Murray Sierra Leone 01.07.1985 

Motorman AKBAR Syed Bangladesh 05.07.1985 

Motorman KHARA Gopal India 21.07.1985 

Boatswain MAKINANO Wilfredo Philippines 26.07.1985 

Cook ROITNER Ernst-Gerhard Austria 29.07.1985 

Able Seaman GROZEN Rafael Philippines 21.09.1985 

Able Seaman ROJAS SAAVEDRA Fernando Chile 01.10.1985 

Able Seaman LEOPOLDO Federico Philippines 07.10.1985 

Chief Engineer VON HOLTEN Egon Germany 07.10.1985 

Steward ESPORLAS Andres Philippines 09.10.1985 

Steward JUSUP Andi Indonesia 12.10.1985 

Master JOHANNSEN Thomas Germany 25.10.1985 

Motorman DOMINGO Sancho Philippines 27.10.1985 

Able Seaman VILLACASTIN Ricardo Philippines 30.10.1985 

Able Seaman AGUZAR Eugenio Philippines 02.11.1985 

233

234 

Former, members of the office staff, who have been with E.O. for more than ten years 

Name First Name Employed 

from until 

STOLZENBACH Arthur 7/1927 2/1952 

OEHMCHEN Hans 1928 5/1945 

JENSEN Walter 1930 9/1972 

REDMER Georg 11/1930 1972 

HILMER Paul 6/1940 6/1963 

MEYER Horst 4/1951 1963 

NIMPHY Walter 2/1952 1975 

WAGNER Ingrid (geb. Boecken) 7/1953 6/1970 

LOCHMÜLLER Hans 10/1953 9/1985 

URBAN Ilse 12/1953 6/1969 

JAKUBASSA Rita 4/1954 6/1971 


from until 

PALLATSCH Ulrich 9/1954 8/1982 

MORDHORST Edvard 1/1956 1966 

LAU Günter 9/1959 9/1977 

KÖNIG Herbert 4/1960 1975 

PACZEWITZ Ilse 7/1961 9/1972 

MOETSCH Hans-Ulrich 4/1962 9/1973 

HAHN Udo 4/1963 1/1975 

HELLMANN Hans-Eberhard 1/1964 10/1992 

GIERMANN Ernst-Ludwig 6/1964 12/1989 

BOCKHOLDT Ines 10/1966 8/1990 

KLOETZEN Hans-Georg 8/1966 6/1979 

Current Members of the office staff for more than 10 years 

ARNDT, Günter 01.04.55 Senior Director 

KANNENBERG, Hans-Dietrich 01.07.64 Director 

PÖHLSEN, Hans-Heinrich 01.11.67 

RAˇSKA, Renate 01.04.69 

SCHARNOWSKI, Werner 01.08.70 Senior Director 

GRAAP, Gabriele 01.08.71 

PHILIPP, Frauke 01.04.72 

HAUSEN, Hiltraud 01.07.73 

MAY, Adolf 01.08.73 

WASSMANN, Jens 01.08.73 Director 

HARMS, Doris 01.08.74 

WOLF, Hans-Jürgen 14.07.75 

KLINGBIEL, Thomas 18.03.76 

BLOCK, Margarethe 01.04.76 

WOLLER, Christine 01.08.76 

PLICKERT, Peter 01.01.77 

DRABERT, Wolfgang 01.10.79 Senior Director 

NOWAK, Horst 01.02.80 

MÜNZ, Hans-Walter 01.11.81 

HÖPPNER, Heidi 01.08.84 

SARTORIS, Bertram 15.03.85 

HOWOLD, Susan 01.08.85 

SASS, Hermann 10.11.86 


from until 

HAROSKE Jürgen 10/1967 6/1980 

ANSORGE Erwin/Erna 10/1967 9/1987 

MALEK Josef 7/1968 10/1987 

BURMESTER Dieter 10/1969 6/1985 

BOEHE Klaus 6/1970 5/1981 

BEHNFELDT Jutta 10/1971 4/1985 

TROSCHKE Hans 3/1971 6/1989 

FLINT Jochen 10/1977 5/1991 

KIECKBUSCH Angela 8/1981 8/1994 

Directors 

ARNDT, Günter Senior Director 

SCHARNOWSKI, Werner Senior Director 

DRABERT, Wolfgang Senior Director 

WEBER, Thomas Senior Director 

BERTHEAU, Ulf André Senior Director 

KANNENBERG, Hans-Dietrich Director 

WASSMANN, Jens Director

A. ABRAHAM 186 

AL KULSUM 85 

AL MUHARRAQ 163, 169 

ALAMO I 94 

ALBATROSS 28 

ALESSANDRA 213 

ALF 60 

ALIARTOS 77 

ALYBELLA 118 

AMERICAN SENATOR 167 

ANFA 32 

ANGELINE 78 

ANITA DAMMACCO 32 

ANNA B 70 

ANNA OLDENDORFF (1) 74, 78, 79, 117 

ANNA OLDENDORFF (2) 186, 191 

ANNA OLDENDORFF (3) 193, 195, 209, 226 

ANTEN 48 

ASIAN SENATOR 167 

ASPIS 81 

ASTORIA 171 

ATHENAIS 81 

ATLANTA 207 

ATLANTIC HURON 201 

AUGUST 112 

AURELIA 75 

AUSTRIAN IMPORTER 67 

AXEL 46, 50, 55 

AYIA MARINA 226 

AZUMA 172 

BAARN 111 

BALDUR 216 

BALTIA 40 

BALTIC MERMAID 

148, 149, 150, 154, 155, 212, 226 

BARKAAT 107 92 

BARNEVELD 114 

BEATE OLDENDORFF 165, 177, 194, 212 

BEGONA 162 

BEL AZUR 219, 227 

BELGIEN 60 

Register of Ship’s Names 

Bold figures refer to page numbers with relevant illustrations 

(Pages 6-17 with side drawings are not included) 

BENNEKOM 111 

BENNO 41, 46 

BENNY SKOU 165, 173 

BERNHARD OLDENDORFF (1) 102, 104 

BERNHARD OLDENDORFF (2) 185, 227 

BI JIA SHAN 114 

BIRTE OLDENDORFF (1) 56, 57, 60, 61 

BIRTE OLDENDORFF (2) 87 

BIRTE OLDENDORFF (3) 110, 127, 156 

BIRTE OLDENDORFF (4) 

165, 171, 193, 197, 212, 227 

BOLD CHALLENGER 100 

BOUBOULINA FAITH 87 

BRAGE 216 

BREDA 112 

BRIGHT RIVER 169 

BULKMADEIRA 123 

BULKPORTOFINO 123 

C. O. STILLMAN 129 

CALEDONIAN PRINCE 219 

CAPTAIN BOUGAINVILLE 181 

CAPTAIN COOK 177 

CAPTAIN KERMADEC 176 

CAPTAIN MAGELLAN 180 

CAPTAIN PADON 181 

CAPITAINE LE BASTARD 47, 50 

CAPITANO VITO 67 

CAROLINE OLDENDORFF (1) 108, 109, 112 

CAROLINE OLDENDORFF (2) 191, 203, 26 

CAROLVORE 30 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (1) 72, 76, 145 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (2) 110, 126 

CATHARINA OLDENDORFF (3) 167, 177, 227 

CCNI AUSTRAL 197, 204, 227 

CCNI AYSEN 216 

CCNI CHILOE 216 

CCNI MAGALLANES 197, 207 

CCNI VALPARAISO 197, 207 

CEFALLONIAN SUN 67 

CHALLENGER S. 85 

CHEVIOTDALE 25 

CHRISOULA K. 70 

CHRISTIANE OLDENDORFF (1) 88, 90, 91, 92, 147 

CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF (1) 69, 70, 72 



CHRISTOFFER OLDENDORFF (4) 201, 227 

CLINTON K 227 

COLIBRI I 67 

COLOMBO 41, 46 

COLUMBUS OLIVOS 167, 179, 219, 227 

COMMANDER 171 

CONSTANCE CATHARINA 30 

CONSTANTOULA BACOLITSAS 87 

CREATOR I 93 

CRISTOFORO 78 

CSL INNOVATOR 201 

CTE MAGALLANES 207, 227 

DELIGHT GLORY 126 

DENVER 96 

DESIA 31 

DEUTSCHLAND 146 

DIAMOND SUN 116 

DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (1) 48 

DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (2) 58, 62 

DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (3) 69 

DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (4) 97, 98, 147 

DIETRICH OLDENDORFF (5) 

151, 152, 160, 212, 227 

DIONE 78 

DITTE SKOU 173 

DOMINIC 96 

DORA OLDENDORFF (1) 37, 40, 53 

DORA OLDENDORFF (2) 65, 70, 74 

DORA OLDENDORFF (3) 125, 226 

DOROTHEA OLDENDORFF 191, 192, 204, 226 

DORTE SKOU 174 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (1) 56, 59, 60, 61, 226 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (2) 85 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (3) 119 

DORTHE OLDENDORFF (4) 191, 205 

DSR OAKLAND 171, 193 

235

DSR YOKOHAMA 172 

DUNEDIN 179 

EBBA C 78 

ECKERT OLDENDORFF (1) 97, 115 

ECKERT OLDENDORFF (2) 168, 181, 212, 227 

EDA 50 

EDITH 39 

EIBE OLDENDORFF (1) 72, 75, 147 

EIBE OLDENDORFF (2) 126 

EIBE OLDENDORFF (3) 181, 212, 227 

EINDHOVEN 68 

EKASONI 40 

ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (1) 108, 111, 112 

ELISABETH OLDENDORFF (2) 190, 191, 124, 226 

ELLEN LARSEN 39 

EMCOL CARRIER 207 

EMMA OLDENDORFF (1) 113 

EMMA OLDENDORFF (2) 180, 212, 227 

EMMANUEL NOBEL 129 

EMPIRE CONTEES 53, 54 

EMPIRE INDUSTRY 41 

EMPIRE OUSE 68 

EMS 30 

ENERGY RENOWN 137 

ERIK LARSEN 40 

ERNA OLDENDORFF (1) 37, 40, 44, 46 

ERNA OLDENDORFF (2) 64, 146 

ERNA OLDENDORFF (3) 93 

ERNA OLDENDORFF (4) 186, 191 

ERNA OLDENDORFF (5) 193, 206, 209, 226 

ESSO DEUTSCHLAND 130 

EUROPEAN SENATOR 167 

EVER FOREST 219, 226 

FAIR SPIRIT 126, 211 

FAIRMED 50 

FANAL 30 

FEAX 122 

FIDO 31 

FIERRO 95 

FISCHHAUSEN 46, 47, 49, 50, 55 

FIUMICINO 30 

FLAG MARS 111 

FLORA ISLAND 175 

FLUGT 28 

FORDSON 1 39 

FOUR FLAGS II 84 

FRANCESCA SECONDA 87 

236 

FRANCOLI 207, 227 

FROTA SINGAPORE 219, 227 

FROTADURBAN 211, 214, 227 

FUTURE HOPE 143, 145 

GABRIELE 71 

GAY FIDELITY 76 

GEBE OLDENDORFF (1) 78, 79 

GEBE OLDENDORFF (2), 110, 117, 118 

GEBE OLDENDORFF (3) 194, 197, 200 

GENERAL DRAGOMIROW 51 

GENOVA 186 

GEORG MAHN 39 

GERDT OLDENDORFF (1) 106, 108, 111 

GERDT OLDENDORFF (2) 196, 197, 200 

GERDT OLDENDORFF (3) 214, 226 

GERMAN SENATOR 167, 178, 197 

GERTRUD OHLROGGE 49 

GINNHEIM 68 

GIOVANNI COPPOLA 68 

GISELA OLDENDORFF 34, 36, 38 

GLASSALT 22, 23 

GLOBE TRADER 140, 141, 144, 145, 227 

GLOBTIK TOKYO 130 

GLÜCKAUF 129 

GNEISENAU 41, 46 

GOOD FAITH 142, 145, 227 

GOTIA 39 

GOUWE 79 

GRANGETOWN 63 

GRANGEWOOD 63 

GREAT GLEN 219 

GRETA 30 

GRETKE OLDENDORFF (1) 71 


GRETKE OLDENDORFF (3) 107, 122, 226 


GRYF 53, 54, 205 

GUAYANA 216 

GUISEPPE RICARDI 28 

GUSTAV SALLING 40 

H. CEGIELSKI 186, 197 

HAI WANG XING 217, 219, 227 

HAMMONIA 173 

HANDY EXPLORER 219, 226 

HANY SUCCESS 219, 226 

HANS OLDENDORFF (1) 79 

HANS OLDENDORFF (2) 56, 147 

HANS OLDENDORFF (3) 175, 226 

HAPPY CHANCE 124 

HARALD 40 

HARIS 169 

HARMEN OLDENDORFF (1) 97, 104 

HARMEN OLDENDORFF (2) 167, 176, 227 

HARMONY 77 

HELENA OLDENDORFF (1) 96, 97 

HELENA OLDENDORFF (2) 150, 226 

HELGA OLDENDORFF (1) 72, 81, 146 



HENNING OLDENDORFF (1) 37, 41, 46 

HENNING OLDENDORFF (2) 64 

HENNING OLDENDORFF (3) 89, 94, 147 

HENRIETTE OLDENDORFF 198, 212, 217 

HERMANN SAUBER 74, 85 

HICKORY 169 

HILLE OLDENDORFF (1) 71, 74, 117 

HILLE OLDENDORFF (2) 121, 122 

HILLE OLDENDORFF (3) 165, 173, 212, 227 

HILVERSUM 60 

HINRICH OLDENDORFF (1) 72, 77, 147 

HINRICH OLDENDORFF (2) 124 

HINRICH OLDENDORFF (3) 194, 197, 199 

HOLNIS 93 

HOLSATIA 174 

HUGO OLDENDORFF (1) 37, 40, 42, 44, 45, 53 

HUGO OLDENDORFF (2) 63 

HUGO OLDENDORFF (3) 88, 93 


HUGO OLDENDORFF (5) 196, 197, 202 


HYUNDAI CON SEVEN 177 

HYUNDAI CON SIX 176 

HYUNDAI Nº 21 180 



ILSABE OLDENDORFF 74, 85 

INGMAN 115 

IMME OLDENDORFF (1) 68, 74 

IMME OLDENDORFF (2) 120 

IMME OLDENDORFF (3) 165, 212, 227 

IRENE OLDENDORFF (1) 53, 54 

IRENE OLDENDORFF (2) 56, 60, 61 

IRENE OLDENDORFF (3) 217, 218, 219, 226 

ISOLA ROSSA 123

ISSA 93 

IVYEVERETT 120 

JAMES LYKES 216 

JEBSEN SOUTHLAND 207 

JOACHIM ZELCK 39 

JOBST OLDENDORFF (1) 2, 78 

JOBST OLDENDORFF (2) 88, 95 

JOBST OLDENDORFF (3) 211, 212, 213, 227 

JOHANNA LEHMANN 32 

JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (1) 72, 81, 110 

JOHANNA OLDENDORFF (2) 

151, 161, 162, 212, 227 

JOHN LYKES 216 

JOSEPH LYKES 216 

JYTTE SKOU 165, 174 

KAPITAN SOROKA 219 

KAPITAN TRUBKIN 219 

KAREN T. 153, 223 

KARIN S. 207 

KARL LEONHARDT 40 

KATERINE 92 

KAZIMIERZ PULASKI 193, 199 

KLAUS OLDENDORFF (1) 36, 39 



KOMET 22, 23, 24, 36 

KONSUL HENDRIK FISSER 43 

KOPERNIKUS 30 

KORAT NAVEE 169 

KORMORANUS 85 

KRALINGSCHEVEER 25 

KYRENIA 123 

LADY ARYETTE 120 

LADY REBECCA 227 

LADY TRUDE 122 

LAKE TAHOE 122 

LAMONE 92 

LARK 122 

LEERSUM 41 

LEKNES 30 

LENA PETERSEN 40 

LIBRA 63 

LIKE TWO 86 

LINCOLN K. 219, 227 

LINDA OLDENDORFF 210, 211, 212, 226 

LINGE 78 

LOK PREM 219 

LONDON SENATOR 166, 171, 193 

LUANGWA BRIDGE 177 

LUCY OLDENDORFF 189, 190, 191, 226 

LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (1) 

36, 39, 42, 43, 44, 46, 73, 74 

LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (2) 65, 66, 67 

LUDOLF OLDENDORFF (3) 123 

LÜHE 28 

LUISE OLDENDORFF 217, 219, 226 

M. N. EFES 127 

MAGALLANES 197, 207, 208 

MAGDALENA FISCHER 39 

MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF (1) 83, 84, 89 

MAGDALENA OLDENDORFF (2) 163, 169 

MAGNET (1) 26, 28, 36 

MANILA SPIRIT 158 

MARE AMICO 87 

MARIA B. 113 

MARIA CLARA 23 

MARIA F. 219, 226 

MARIA OLDENDORFF (1) 108, 114, 212 

MARIA OLDENDORFF (2) 164, 170, 194, 227 

MARIE SCHERLAU 30 

MARINE RANGER 149, 150, 156, 212, 226 

MARY ROBERT MÜLLER 87 

MAX BERNSTEIN 39 

MAYA 172 

MERIT 113 

MIA 138 

MICHAEL 77 

MICHELE MAGLIONI 67 

MIETZING 31 

MINISTER HELLEPUTTE 60 

MIXTECO 171 

MONGOLIA 48 

MONTANIA 87 

MONTE PASCOAL 167, 179, 197, 227 

MONTONE 95 

MSC ANTONIA 171, 227 

MSC GIORGIA 172, 227 

MUO 115 

NAUTIC PIONEER 100, 101 

NEDLLOYD CARIBBEAN 173 

NEDLLOYD CURACAO 174 

NEMI 28 

NEPTUNE LAZULI 200 

NEW RENOWN 137 

NICOLE MARTINI 30 

NIEDERSACHSEN 132, 134, 135, 136, 138 

NIGERIAN IMPORTER 67 

NIKA 124 

NINEMIA 138 

NOBE RIVER 157 

NOBILITY 211, 213 

NOBLE SUPPORTER 103 

NORA HUGO STINNES 88, 93 

NORDFELS 26, 32, 35 

NORDHEIM 79 

NORDHOPE 143 

NORDKAP 26, 31, 55 

NORDLAND 26, 28, 29, 55 

NORDLICHT 26, 30 

NORDMARK 26, 30, 31, 35 

NORDSCOUT 153 

NORDSTERN 26, 28, 55 

NORDWOGE 116 

NYSTRAND 62 

NZOL CHALLENGER 173, 227 

NZOL CRUSADER 174, 227 

OCEAN EARTH 103 

OCEAN JUPITER 96 

OCEAN TRADER 219, 226 

OCEAN TRAVELLER 127 

OCEAN URANUS 101 

ODIN 216 

OKAY 86 

OLDEN 104 

OLGA ELISABETH 24, 25, 26 

OPOLE 54 

ORSOLA B. 113 

OTIRA 77 

OTIS 49 

PACIFIC BREEZE 201 

PACIFIC PRIDE 172 

PACQUEEN 219, 216 

PANACEA 219 

PANKRATOR KORFU 122 

PARKHAVEN 68 

PETER BENOIT 36, 38 

PLANET 19, 23, 24, 25, 34, 35 

POL ASIA 198, 216 

POL EUROPE 187, 216 

POMEZIA 23, 32 

PONTINIA 25 

237

PYRMONT BRIDGE 199, 227 

RALU 219 

REGINA OLDENDORFF (1) 97, 100, 146, 158, 159 

REGINA OLDENDORFF (2) 150, 212, 226 

RENATO TOMEI 32 

REYNOLDSTONE 30 

RHEIN 216 

RIJN 64 

RIMA G. 93 

RITA LARSEN 39 

RIXTA OLDENDORFF (1) 97, 103 

RIXTA OLDENDORFF (2) 150, 158, 159, 212, 226 

ROBERT S. PEARY 99 

ROMAN KARMEN 219 

SAINT GILBERT 60 

SALMOONPOOL 188 

SALVIVA 76 

SAN EVANS 114 

SANMAR PAVILLION 219, 226 

SAUDI MAKKAH 202 

SAUDI RYADH 200 

SAVOYDEAN II 102 

SCALMIKE 93 

SCANDUTCH HISPANIA 171 

SCANDUTCH MASSILIA 172 

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN 25, 34 

SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN (Tanker) 

132, 133, 134, 135, 137 

SEA SCOUT 149, 153, 223 

SHEFFIELD 43 

SIGNAL 46, 47, 50, 55, 62 

SIGRID 62 

SIKLA 28 

SILVA 30 

SILVIO 30 

SINBAD VOYAGER 174 

SINFA 119 

SINGAPORE EXPRESS 200, 227 

SMIT NEW YORK 138 

SOLAR GLORY 122 

SOLIN 219, 226 

238 

SONGDAL 48 

SPAR TWO 219, 226 

SPLENDID FORTUNE 126 

ST. CROIX 159 

STAD ARNHEM 64 

STAVFJORD 84 

STEFAN STARZYNSKI 196, 200 

STORK 111 

SUNDSVALL 29 

SVANGEN 75 

SVEND 40 

SVEND II 40 

T. WENDA 186, 197 

T. A. ADVENTURER 170, 227 

T. A. DISCOVERER 177, 227 

T. A. EXPLORER 160, 227 

T. A. MARINER 165, 173 

T. A. NAVIGATOR 165, 173 

T. A. VOYAGER 162, 227 

TAAT 47, 49 

TABUK 92 

TADEUSZ KOSCIUSZKO 193, 200 

TAI PING YANG 111 

TAMAMIMA 219 

TAMATHAI 219 

TECHMANT PIONEER 120 

TEKAPO 81 

TEL AVIV 30 

TERESOPOLIS 117 

TETE OLDENDORFF (1) 58, 75 

TETE OLDENDORFF (2) 97, 100, 101 

TETE OLDENDORFF (3) 165, 172, 197, 212, 227 

THEEKAR 163, 169 

THOR 216 

TIRO 75 

TOKYO SENATOR 172 

TOWNELEY 32 

TRACTOR 37, 39 

TRADE EVER 169 

TRADE COSMOS 216 

TRADE SOL 184, 216 

TRANS WOOD 92 

TRIESTE 186 

TRUE ENDEAVOUR 96 

TSE 40 

UNITED V. 128 

UNITED VENTURE 128, 222 

UNIVERSE APOLLO 130 

USKÖ 48 

UTLÄNGEN 50 

VALERIANA 93 

VELTA 50, 51 

VERNER 219; 226 

VILLE DE CASTOR 171, 193 

VOLOS I 84 

WALTER 46, 49, 50, 51 

WALTER LEONHARDT 86 

WANAKA 81 

WEAR 49 

WERRA 216 

WESTERMARSCH 207 

WESTERN GLORY 98 

WESTMOUNT 39 

WETHERSFIELD 39 

WHITEHALL 28 

WILHELMINA 40 

WILTON 50 

WINSUM 69 

WLADYSLAW SIKORSKI 196, 202 

WOENSDRECHT 30 

WOERMANN ULANGA 207 

WORLD CHAMPION 171 

YEOMAN BANK 183, 188, 221, 227 

YEOMAN BROOK 182, 189, 190, 227 

YEOMAN BURN 183, 185, 227 

YONG IAN 112 

YUN LONG 118 

ZAAN 71 

ZETEMPOWIEC 54 

ZIM MELBOURNE 207 

ZIM URUGUAY 207

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