Thames shipspotters will have noticed that Hamburg Sud have sent one of their new large Cap San class of 9,600 TEU vessels into Tilbury - with apparently another 3 to follow, before they do a switch to London Gateway.
I've been fascinated to watch the dockers talking about this topic, and you can find a lot of recent comments on a blog run by some Felixstowe dockworkers:
http://felixstowedocker.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/new-hamburg-ships-to-big-for-tilbury.html#comment-form - it gives an interesting view from the sharp end of the port industry.
I've used a couple of photos of the first of the new ships, Cap San Lorenzo, from John White in the latest Shipping TV video on the topic, too - its on the video page.
Interestingly, although the dockers from Tilbury are naturally pleased to have handled this large, 19 rows wide vessel, it has been very clear to see that she was drawing at least a couple of metres less than her fully loaded draft aft. Is this a condition she has to be in to sail up the Thames to Tilbury?