German shipowner Elbdeich Reederei has taken delivery of the first vessel in its four-ship 1,250-teu dual-fuel newbuilding series from Guangzhou Wenchong Shipyard.

The vessel, DP World London, is the first in the series to be handed over. The remaining three ships are due to follow in the coming months and will all be chartered to Unifeeder, part of DP World, for service in Northern Europe.

According to Elbdeich Reederei, the vessels have been built to a high specification and offer strong manoeuvrability together with Ice Class 1A capability. The company also said the ships include several green features, including the ability to operate on 100% green methanol.

The newbuild series forms part of the owner’s fleet renewal programme and its wider push towards more sustainable operations.

The vessels will be managed by Nordic Hamburg Shipmanagement and deployed in feeder trades in Northern Europe.

Elbdeich Reederei described the delivery as an important milestone, marking the progression from contract signing through construction to final handover.