DP World kicks off four-ship methanol rollout

DP World adds methanol to its shipping mix

DP World’s feeder business has its first methanol-burning ship running European routes — with three sister vessels still to come. DP World London, a 1.2k-TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship, has been serving DP World’s feeder arm Shipping Solutions’ North Europe routes since its April delivery and took its first methanol bunkering in Rotterdam on 25 June, according to a press release. The ship is owned by Germany’s Elbdeich Reederei and operated by Shipping Solutions — previously known as Unifeeder.

It’s one of four, not a one-off: Two methanol dual-fuel feeders were ordered in October 2023 and two more in February 2024, with the final two, including the DP World London, chartered one each from Elbdeich Reederei and MPC Container Ships for 2026 delivery. The dual-fuel design lets it run on conventional fuel wherever methanol isn’t available yet, useful at feeder scale where methanol bunkering barely exists.