Evergreen Marine has confirmed plans to lay up 17 containerships by the end of this year as part of a wide-ranging fleet rationalisation that has already included scrapping older tonnage and returning chartered vessels.

Boxships varying in size between 2,800 teu and 6,000 teu will be targeted under the lay-up move, which will start with the end of the peak season.

The withdrawal appears to have begun several months ago, with the world's fourth-largest container line having six ships with a total capacity of 17,800 teu inactive, according to data from Lloyd's Marine Intelligence Unit.

Ms Ko added that plans to lay up additional vessels would be augmented by moves to accelerate the disposal of redundant tonnage. "Therefore, the quantity of our unemployed ships will be dynamic but expected to reach 17 by end of this year," she said.

She gave no details of how many vessels would be disposed of, but Evergreen has scrapped or plans to scrap more than 30 ships out of its owned fleet of around 100.

A dozen have been recorded as sold by cash buyers in 2009, including three vessels sold late last month to Chinese breaking yards, netting Evergreen $15m.

Evergreen, Taiwan's largest shipping company, operates more than 160 vessels. Over the last month, the carrier, in common with other box lines, has announced a raft of rate restoration initiatives. 

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