LJUBLJANA (Slovenia), December 1 (SeeNews) – Slovenian port operator Luka Koper said on Tuesday it posted consolidated net earnings of 4.2 million euro ($6.3 million) for the first nine months of 2009 and forecast full-year group operating profit at just over 11.5 million euro.
Net profit totalled 18.2 million euro in the nine-month period a year earlier while 2008 operating profit amounted to 23.6 million euro, Luka Koper's 2008 consolidated annual report showed.
The company provided no guidance on its 2009 group net profit in its January-September unaudited report posted on its website (www.luka-kp.si).
Group operating revenue fell 15% on the year to 87.9 million euro through September 2009 while operating costs were pared by 5.0% to 78.4 million euro, the statement said.
Luka Koper said it expects to to cut its 2009 group operating costs by 5.0% from 113.6 million euro last year while operating revenue is seen 15% down from 137.2 million euro in 2008.
2009 CARGO TRAFFIC SEEN DOWN, CONTAINER THROUGHPUT FLATTISH
Total cargo traffic for 2009 is projected at 13 million tonnes, down 19% from last year, the report said.
General cargo throughput will be somewhat below last year's volume, in particular on account of a drop in steel stock, mainly due to the car industry. Throughput at the Timber Terminal will be ahead of that for 2008 when it totalled 704,000 tonnes.
The anticipated total vehicle throughput in 2009 will amount to about 290,000 units.
The decrease in container freight throughput in 2009 is minimal, and not far short of last year’s record level of 353,900 twenty-foot equivalent units.
Annual throughput at the Dry Bulk Cargo Terminal is expected to amount to some 1.4 million tonnes, i.e. a year-on decrease of some 15% to 20%. The largest drop has been recorded in minerals, while soya throughput will be on par with 2008 levels.
Liquid cargo volumes will also exceed projections due to the fact that the Port of Koper’s position as a regional liquid-cargo distribution centre continues to strengthen.
Luka Koper shares, part of the broader SBI20 index of the Ljubljana Stock Exchange, were trading up 1.72% at 25.47 euro by 1203 GMT on Tuesday.
($=0.6638 euro)