Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd has put the world’s first neo-panamax boxship to be retrofitted for LNG propulsion back into service.

The 14,993-teu Brussels Express (built 2014) has been deployed on the trade between Asia and North Europe after successfully completing sea trials.

The Hamburg-based company had planned to operate the vessel on LNG, using low-sulphur fuel oil as a backup.

But the vessel is not yet fully running on gas and further work will be necessary before it can be run wholly on LNG, a spokesperson for the company said.