The House flag of Elder Dempster & Co. Ltd, Liverpool. A white swallow-tailed burgee with a red cross and a gold crown in the centre of the cross. The flag is made of a wool and synthetic fibre bunting. It has a cotton hoist and is machine sewn. A rope and toggle is attached. This design was used by the African Steam Ship Co. from 1864-1932 and their owners Elder Dempster from 1890-1989.

In 1852 the African Steam Ship Company was founded by McGregor Laird after the award of a ten year government contract to carry mail between London and the west coast of Africa. Laird had led a steamer expedition along the River Niger to the interior in 1832-3. By 1864 the Laird brothers were no longer involved in the company, which was now managed by Fletcher & Parr. In 1891 the African SS Co. appointed Elder Dempster & Co. as their managing agents.

Elder Dempster was a private partnership controlled by Sir Alfred Jones. He died in 1909 and his various holdings were sold to Sir Owen Cosby Philipps and Lord Pirrie who formed Elder, Dempster & Co. Ltd. The group collapsed in 1931 and was reformed as Elder Dempster Holdings Ltd with the Elder Dempster fleet managed by Holts. 1953 Elder Dempster Lines Holdings changed its name to Liner Holdings and in 1965 ownership was taken over by Ocean Steamship Co. Ltd. The fleets owned by this company, now known as Ocean Transport & Trading Co. Ltd were increasingly integrated after 1974. The Elder Dempster Line was sold to the French Company Société Navale Chargeurs Delmas-Vieljeux in 1989 but without the ships at which point Ocean Transport & Trading withdrew from deep-sea shipowning.