DENMARK's Maersk Line has announced it will add two new 13,092-TEU containerships, the Maersk Edmonton and the Maersk Erving, to its Asia-Europe AE-7 service in February in March to replace the two 9,500-TEU class Maersk Algol and Gjertrud Maersk, reports Alphaliner.

The AE-7 service, which was initially introduced, envisioning eight 15,200-TEU E-class vessels in 2007-2008, which was Maersk's highest-capacity string with a capacity of 14,070 TEU per week.

But it also faced stiff competition against MSC's "Silk" service that provides 13,926 TEU a week.

With these two upgraded vessels on the AE-7 loop, it will provide an average capacity of 14,778 TEU starting from March.

Two 7,500-TEU ships chartered from Hanjin, the Hanjin Yantian and Hanjin Dallas, will offer two lower capacity sailings in February after Chinese New Year to meet the expected fall in demand at that time.