CSAV’S OPERATING INCOME DOWN 54%

CSAV’S OPERATING INCOME DOWN 54%    Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, the Chilean shipping group also known as Chilean Line, reported a 54-percent fall in its operating income for 2001, to $19 million.
   The operating result compares with an operating profit of $41 million in 2000.
   Group revenue last year was flat, at $1.74 billion, as the Chilean company saw a small decrease in cargo carried, to 18.7 million tons, from 19 million tons in 2000.
   Net profit dropped 40 percent, to $26 million, from $43 million in 2000.
   Ricardo Claro Valdes, president of Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, said last year's international recession and low growth in the Chilean economy translated into “results that were less than satisfactory.”
   The devaluation of the Brazilian currency, the real, caused a fall in imports to that country and an increase in exports, which led to “acceptable results” at Libra, the Brazilian shipping subsidiary of Compania Sud Americana de Vapores.
   However, overcapacity in the Asian trades led to losses at Hong Kong-based Norasia, another subsidiary of the Chilean group.
   Last year, Compania Sud Americana de Vapores acquired a 26-percent shareholding in Compania Chilena de Navegacion Interoceanica, the second-largest Chilean liner shipping company.
   Besides its liner shipping services, Compania Sud Americana de Vapores operates car carrier, reefer and bulk services.
   The 2001 annual results of Compania Sud Americana de Vapores and 21 other liner carriers are posted on ComPairData, the global liner shipping database on the Internet at https://www.compairdata.com .