SS Traffic (1872)

SS Traffic was a baggage tender of the White Star Line, built in 1872 by Harland and Wolff in Belfast. She was based at the Port of Liverpool, and maintained a 24-year career with White Star. Traffic briefly served as a cargo vessel, but soon returned to tendering service.

In 1896, Traffic was sold to the Liverpool Lighterage Co., where she served for fifty-nine years in reliable service. She was broken up at Tranmere in 1955, at an age of eighty-two years. Traffic is perhaps the earliest (if not one of the earliest) examples of a ship's tender, having been built in the 1870s. She was also possibly the only baggage tender used by the White Star Line until the company purchased SS Gallic (1894) (ex-Birkenhead) in 1907.