German shipowner Elbdeich Reederei has added two more methanol-fuelled container ships to its order slate in China.
Brokers said the company has declared options held for 1,250-teu feeder units at Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard.
The vessels will follow the first two in the series in September and December 2026.
The initial duo was ordered in October last year.
These were the only two options held at the time of the order.
No prices have been revealed.
DP World-owned container line Unifeeder Group is chartering the newbuildings and will operate them over the long term in its European network.
The line is working with DP World and partners across the industry to find solutions to the challenge of renewable methanol supply.
This needs off-take commitments to build production at the scale the sector needs to replace conventional fossil fuels, the company said.
More charters
In September, TradeWinds reported that Denmark’s Celsius Shipping had fixed its four methanol-ready 3,000-teu boxship newbuildings under construction in China to Copenhagen-based Unifeeder for five years.
The charterer has committed to a 25% reduction of emissions by 2030, carbon neutrality by 2040 and net zero emissions by 2050.
It aims to achieve this by emphasising fuel-efficient practices, regular maintenance and refitting processes and fostering a culture of learning and collaboration.
UK broker Clarksons also lists Elbdeich with six 1,400-teu boxships on order at Penglai Zhongbai Jinglu shipyard in China for delivery this year.
The German shipowner has already teamed up with Unifeeder on the first test of synthetic natural gas as a fuel on a commercial vessel, as well as using biofuels and carrying out vessel modifications to reduce fuel consumption.
