Largest ship ever Kiel port registered?

The TRANSVAAL and the Safmarine vessel in the background were both using the Port of Liverpool at the time due to an ongoing labour dispute at the Port of Southampton in 1982.

Other UK port's used during the dispute were Bristol Portbury Docks and Tilbury.

The SAECS service between northern Europe and South Africa started in 1977 after the withdrawal of the traditional mail ship run to South Africa by the Union Castle Line along with other shipping company's.

The shipping company's that came together to form the SAECS consortium included

CMB Compagnie Maritime Belge
DAL Deutsch Africa Line
Ellerman Harrison Line
OCL Overseas Container Line
Safmarine

Another part of the service operated from Mediterranean port's with the Italian shipping company Lloyd Triestino.

With the ongoing labour dispute at the Port of Southampton having a huge affect on the SAECS consortium it was decided that they would abandon the port of Southampton altogether and the UK port of choice was eventually Tilbury.

The SAECS service remained at the Port of Tilbury up until a few years ago when it relocated further down the River Thames to the new London Gateway Terminal being the first to operate from the facility.