▁the ▁Esc rav os ▁River ▁which ▁leads ▁to ▁S ape le ▁- ▁ships ▁cannot ▁carry ▁more ▁than ▁ 4 , 0 0 0 ▁tons ▁since ▁the ▁maximum ▁dra ug ht ▁to ▁successfully ▁make ▁it ▁over ▁the ▁Esc rav os ▁Bar ▁is ▁limited ▁to ▁, ▁so ▁vessels ▁would ▁often ▁cross ▁over ▁the ▁bar ▁at ▁the ▁entrance ▁to ▁the ▁adjacent ▁For c ados ▁River , ▁then ▁take ▁the ▁connecting ▁cre ek ▁to ▁the ▁Esc rav os ▁River . ▁ ▁The ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s ▁sp elled ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁end ▁for ▁Pal m ▁Line . ▁From ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁the ▁dram atic ▁drop ▁in ▁Europe ▁/ ▁West ▁Africa ▁trade ▁meant ▁the ▁increasing ▁need ▁to ▁char ter ▁the ▁vessels ▁out ▁to ▁third ▁parties . ▁Pal m ▁Line ▁was ▁sold ▁to ▁Ocean ▁Fle ets ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁last ▁Chair man ▁of ▁Pal m ▁L ines ▁was ▁Gordon ▁Williams ▁of ▁Pont y pool . ▁ ▁Em blem ▁The ▁pal m ▁tree ▁em blem ▁had ▁already ▁been ▁used ▁on ▁a ▁Un ile ver ▁Ltd ▁house ▁flag ▁designed ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁ ▁Mer se ys ide ▁Mar itime ▁Museum ▁From ▁Jun - Dec ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁the ▁museum ▁had ▁a ▁temporary ▁exhibition ▁entitled ▁' P alm ▁Line ▁- ▁A ▁new ▁company ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁era ', ▁with ▁a ▁scale - model ▁of ▁M V ▁Mat adi ▁Pal m ▁( 1 9 7 0 ) ▁as ▁its ▁cent