GERMANY's Hapag-Lloyd is to put the 13,200 TEU-Hamburg Express into service on its Asia-Europe Loop 4 of its G6 Alliance to replace an 8,000-TEU ship following the delivery of the first of 10 such ships from Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

The inaugural sailing will begin in Hamburg following usual port rotation of Rotterdam, Singapore, Shenzhen-Yantian, Ningbo and Shanghai before returning to Yantian, Singapore and Southampton.

Hapag-Lloyd expects delivery of two more 366-metre long, 48-metre wide newbuilds with drafts of 15.5 metres. The two will also join Loop 4 after delivery in late September and mid-November 2012, reported London's Logistics Business Review.

The Hamburg-based carrier's fleet has a total capacity of 674,000 TEU with the introduction of its latest Hamburg Express bringing it up to 147 vessels overall.