Regional Container Lines lifts half-year revenue, profit

Regional Container Lines lifts half-year revenue, profit    Singapore-based Regional Container Lines increased its net profit 172 percent to $68 million in the first half, from $25 million in the same period of 2004, as it raised freight rates, volumes and revenues.
   Revenue for the first six months climbed 40 percent to $268 million, from $191 million a year earlier. First-half liftings rose 12 percent to 1.1 million TEUs.
   “With intra-Asia freight rates holding up, the group had turned in a record quarterly earning in (the) second quarter,” Regional Container Lines said.
   Gross profit rose 107 percent to $85 million in the latest six-month period, from $41 million a year earlier.
   The carrier said its cost of freight and operations in the second quarter rose 23 percent in local currency to THB3.7 billion (about $41 million). “Other than the continuous increase in bunker cost this quarter, the increase was in line with the improved liftings,” it said. Carryings increased 11 percent year-on-year to 572,383 TEUs in the second quarter.
   As regional currencies weakened further against U.S. dollar in the second quarter, Regional Container Lines recorded a loss on exchange of THB79 million ($2 million) in the quarter, when compared to a gain of THB3 million in the second quarter of last year.