The RMS 'Rangitata' (1929) was a vessel of the New Zealand Shipping Company which absorbed the Federal Steam Navigation Company in 1912, though the latter retained its house flag and was registered for tax purposes in England while NZSC was registered in New Zealand. A previous note on the ship suggests it was originally bult (by John Brown on Clydebank) for the Federal line but transferred to NZSC in 1936 and it was scrapped in 1962.

'Rangitata' is depicted here in overall grey livery during its period in service as a government transport, which began with war service from 4 December 1939. It is fitted with a radar lantern on the bridge and is passing into London's Royal Docks from the King George V Dock lock. The three tugs belong to well-known London-based tug owning companies. That to port is from the fleet of the Gamecock Steam Towing Co.; the tug in the centre is a William Watkins Ltd vessel and the tug to starboard is one of the fleet of the Port of London Authority. The ship's requisitioned war service ended on 15 August 1946 but it remained on Goverment charter until 2 November 1948. It re-entered commercial service in September 1949 after being reconditioned and re-engined but only made a few subsequent London calls. NZSC also ran its two sister-ships 'Rangitiki' and 'Rangitane'.

Burgess was an Australian-born artist who largely worked in England and died in 1957, so the painting is probably just post-war. The Museum's previous title for it was 'The steaamship "Rangitata" and other vessels' but it has been pointed out that it was an oil-powered ship and that the other vesels shown are self-evidently tugs.