It is reported that Geneva's Mediterranean Shipping Company has removed 13,000 to 14,000 TEU vessels from its Silk service and replaced them with 4,800 to 9,500 TEU ships.

The move to slash the Silk service's average weekly capacity to 9,700 TEU, down from 13,500 TEU in July 2011 is further evidence of flagging demand on the Asia North Europe trades and depressed freight rates. Also over the slack season, the Swiss carrier will use the 4,814 TEU MSC Manu, its smallest ship on the Asia Europe run.

The report also said that the carrier's Asia North Europe Lion service has switched some of its 13,000 to 14,000 TEU ships for 8,000 to 9,500 TEU that were taken from the Asia Mediterranean Dragon and Tiger services. It said the Dragon and Tiger services are now each deploying vessels with an average capacity of over 13,000 TEU, owing to higher rates on this trade.

It added that "As MSC is to receive 20 new ships of over 10,000 TEU in the course of the next 12 months, the shipping line will have the possibility to bring back rapidly its existing Far East to Europe strings to the 13,000 to 14,000 TEU level for the next high season."

(Sourced from www.shippingonline.cn)