COSCO Pacific Reports Profit Increase

COSCO Pacific Ltd. reported its net profit rose 3.7 percent in 1999 from a year earlier to $134.08 million and added that it would step up investment in 2000. The company, an indirect unit of China's largest shipping firm China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co., engages mainly in container leasing and container terminal operation. Managing director Shi Qin said the listed firm planned to spend about $100 million to $110 million to buy containers in 2000 to match the rise in demand caused by global economic growth. The sum almost doubles the $57 million the firm spent in buying containers in 1999, when the size of its container fleet dropped 1.0 percent to 500,899 teu.