SOUTHAMPTON'S container terminal has been busy with four sister ships in each of its deep sea berths making it the first time that it has had that number, in a row, from the same shipping line.

All together DP World Southampton, which operates the city’s container terminal, and which was only recently crowned Port Operator of the Year, handled nearly 10,000 containers while the vessels were alongside, many of which carried goods destined for the UK’s retailers and high street businesses in readiness for Christmas.

Three of the four vessels owned by Hapag-Lloyd were modern ultra large container vessels, which can carry 13,500 container units.

Ludwigshafen Express, New York Express and Stuttgart Express were all making their first port of call on a rotation in Europe and later went on to call at Le Havre and Antwerp.

Hong Kong Express was making her last call in the European rotation before sailing to Singapore in the Far East.

Hapag-Lloyd has been a customer of DP World Southampton since the terminal first opened in the 1970s.