TAIWAN's Evergreen Line has revealed that it is reducing fleet size and services in response to the slackening of consumer demand worldwide.

"We are accelerating the disposal of redundant tonnage. Therefore, the quantity of our unemployed ships will be dynamic," said a statement from the carrier.

The number of retired ships has been reported at 17, but the carrier said this was not so, but rather that number "referred to vessels not deployed in our network at the time of the press interview with our top management."

Evergreen has also returned ships to charter owners on when their leases come to term and has already sent older ships to the breakers.