"We do not expect volume growth on the Asia-Europe trades this year so there is no need for the number of ships sailing," said Maersk Line trade and marketing chief Vincent Clerc.
If the outlook of the Asia-Europe trade remains weak, Maersk will continue to cut capacity and apply slow-steaming to more services, said the Maersk statement.
Deploying eight 6,500-TEU vessels, Maersk`s AE5 service will offer its last sailing departing Tanjung Pelepas on November 8.
Besides, the AE9 string, sailing with eleven 8,000-TEU vessels, will be suspended with immediate effect until early December 2012.
Said Mr Clerc : "Further to the nine per cent capacity reductions we made earlier this year, this brings the total capacity reduction in 2012 on Maersk Line`s Asia-Europe network to 21 per cent.
"We expect a three per cent slump on the Asia-Europe container trades for 2012 and are taking steps to adjust to this without reducing our market position," Mr Clerc said.
Maersk said the move will not affect the normal operation of its Daily Maersk and Daily Maersk Promise services.
The carrier claimed a recent survey revealed that 42 per cent of Daily Maersk customers had saved money on logistics because of "absolute reliability" and prompt transportation time for product delivery.