Deutsche Afrika-Linien (DAL) is a Germany-bas ed s hipping company with a focus on s outhern Africa, particularly South Africa. A parent group of companies , it was es tablis hed in 1924 when John Theodor Essbereres tablis hed hims elf as a tanker shipowner in Hamburg . Today, the group has a number of divis ions , operating als o in the dry bulk, liquid bulk and container s hipping s ectors .