[LONDON] DP World Ltd's London Gateway port received its first ship following a decade-long project to build a deep-water haven close to the UK capital that aims to become one of Europe's busiest container terminals.

The MOL Caledon docked last week in the first of sixth berths to be opened at the site located 40 km east of London and intended to handle 3.5 million 20-foot containers a year. Its cargo included fruit and automotive parts, DP World said in an e-mail.

London Gateway is located closer to major UK population centres than other ports able to handle 400-metre ships that can carry more than 18,000 containers, DP World said.