Vega-Caroline Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In a recent transaction, Egon Oldendorff has completed the sale of their Handysize bulk carrier, ‘Lucy Oldendorff,’ built in 2011 at Taizhou Maple Leaf in China. The vessel, classified under IMO number [insert IMO number], underwent dry docking in January 2021. The sale price has not been disclosed, marking a significant move in the current shipping market landscape.

Firefighters conducted thorough checks on the palm kernel cargo located in the No 1 hold of the bulk carrier 'Lucy Oldendorff' on August 22, 2023, to ensure that a smoldering fire had been fully extinguished. This issue first arose when the vessel arrived at the Tauranga Roadstead on the morning of August 20. It is believed that the fire ignited a few days prior during the fumigation process of the cargo while the ship was inbound from Singapore. During fumigation, smoke was detected when the hold was vented; in response, the crew sealed the hold and injected CO2 to extinguish the flames before reaching out to Maritime NZ for assistance. One theory suggests that the heat generated during fumigation may have ignited a pallet that the fumigation equipment was positioned on. Only a limited area, measuring approximately two metres by two metres or around four tonnes of the cargo, was affected. On August 21, fire services worked diligently to extract the smoldering palm kernels, using shovels and spades to carefully place the material into 200-litre drums for safe disposal on the wharf. Five firefighting units, including command units, initially faced accessibility challenges in the confined space where the flames had sparked, necessitating hand removal of about three tonnes of the cargo before a digger was brought in to assist with the remaining heated materials. The cargo temperatures were deemed stable and back to normal by the morning of August 22. In total, the 'Lucy Oldendorff' is set to discharge around 30,000 tonnes of palm kernel at the ports of Tauranga and New Plymouth. For a detailed report and photographs, visit: http://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/30308-final-look-at-hold-fire.html

On August 21, the firefighting team remained hard at work addressing a burning cargo issue aboard the Lucy Oldendorff at Tauranga Harbour, following the initial report of smoke from the vessel's cargo hold four days earlier. Firefighters, equipped with breathing apparatuses, spent the day meticulously excavating smouldering palm kernels from the hold. A digger was skillfully lowered into the hold to assist in transferring the heated cargo into steel barrels. These barrels were then hoisted out to personnel on the dock, who extinguished the smoking kernels with water. A total of five fire appliances and 21 dedicated firefighters participated in the operation. The origin of the fire is thought to be linked to a fumigation canister that had been inserted into the hold. Thankfully, the damage was contained to approximately three to five tonnes of the ship's 30,000 tonnes of palm kernels. Once the affected cargo is completely removed, the remaining shipments will pose no risk to the vessel's safety. The ship's crew first detected a small plume of smoke on August 17. In response, they promptly sealed the No 1 hatch and filled it with carbon dioxide before notifying Maritime New Zealand. Firefighters were only able to access the hold on the morning of August 20 after the ship anchored off Tauranga's coast. Upon inspection, they discovered the palm kernels still smouldering, leading to the decision to seal the hatch and fill the hold with carbon dioxide once more. The Lucy Oldendorff was officially brought into port on the morning of August 21, prompting the firefighting brigade's intervention at 10:40 a.m. Stay tuned for updates on this situation as it develops.