MS Oldenburg

{{Short description|Lundy Island passenger and supply ship}}

{{for|the German corvette of the same name|German corvette Oldenburg}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}

{{Infobox ship begin}} {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=File:MS Oldenburg - Bideford (2006-03-04).JPG |Ship caption=MS Oldenburg at Bideford, Devon, March 2006 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|civil}} |Ship name=Oldenburg |Ship namesake=Oldenburg |Ship owner=The Lundy Company |Ship operator=Landmark Trust |Ship registry=Bideford |Ship route=Lundy, Bideford and Ilfracombe |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=Detlef Hegemann Rolandwerft |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number=872 |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=29 March 1958 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired=6 August 1958 |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport=Bideford |Ship identification=*{{IMO|5262146}} {{MMSI Number|234990000}} Callsign: GFTN |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship status={{Ship in active service}} |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type= |Ship tonnage= {{GRT|294}} |Ship length= {{convert|43.46|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship beam= {{convert|7.83|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|1.65|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=*2 × 8-cylinder MWM engines (1958) 2 × Cummins KT19-M425 diesel engines (1999) |Ship speed=*{{convert|11.5|kn|lk=in}} (1958) {{convert|12.5|kn}} (1999) |Ship range= |Ship capacity=*359 (1958) 267 (1999) |Ship crew= |Ship notes= }}

MS Oldenburg is a British passenger ferry serving the island of Lundy in the Bristol Channel.

The Oldenburg was named after the former grand duchy of Oldenburg, Germany, and launched on 29 March 1958 in Bremen. On 6 August she was delivered to Deutsche Bundesbahn Schiffsdienst Wangerooge, and used for a ferry service between the mainland and the Frisian island of Wangerooge.{{cite web |url=http://www.faktaomfartyg.se/oldenburg_1958.htm |title=M/S Oldenburg (1958) |publisher=www.faktaomfartyg.se |accessdate=2009-10-05 }}

She was first chartered in winter of 1975 by Reederei Warrings for duty-free shopping cruises in East Frisia. In 1982 she was sold to Harle-Reederei Warrings in Carolinensiel, Lower Saxony, Germany.

In November 1985 she was sold to The Lundy Co. Ltd. to replace Lundy's transport boat, the Polar Bear. After a refurbishment at Appledore Shipbuilders including fitting a new crane and bringing the ship up to modern British shipping standards, she began her journeys for passengers and supplies to the island of Lundy in May 1986, under the management of the owner's parent, Landmark Trust.{{cite web |url=https://www.landmarktrust.org.uk/lundyisland/ms-oldenburg/history/ |title=MS Oldenburg History |publisher=www.landmarktrust.org.uk |accessdate=2020-02-08 }}

In 1999, the Lundy Co. Ltd received a Heritage Lottery Fund Grant which was used to upgrade the ship with two new 6-cylinder Cummins KT19-M425 diesel engines, each capable of producing 317 kW (425HP) at 1800RPM, increasing her top speed from 11.5 to 12.5 knots. The grant was also used to construct a new aft canopy and undertake a refurbishment programme, bringing the total passenger capacity count to 267.

Every year, the MS Oldenburg enters Sharpness docks for her annual refit. During these refits, essential maintenance is carried out in dry dock which are not possible during the sailing season. During the late 2019 refit, MS Oldenburg was fitted with a new rudder stock and foredeck crane, replacing the crane installed at the beginning of her Lundy tenure in 1986.