Hot Month at Marseille Fos
In contrast to an international downturn, French port Marseille Fos has reported exceptional results for July with 7.8 million metric tons of cargo and 387,000 passengers – up by 18.6 percent and 13 percent respectively on the same month last year. General cargo totaled 1.64 million metric tons (up 8 percent) after growth in all three sectors – containers, ro-ro and conventional. Box throughput rose 11 percent to more than 1 million metric tons, representing a 12 percent unit increase to 112,768 teu. Traffic through the Fos deep sea container terminals is now 4 percent ahead on the first seven months of last year, while the Terminal de Mediterranee in Marseille set a July record for its container activity. Liquid bulks were 26 percent better at 5.11 million metric tons.
Kerr-McGee Reports 2Q Results
Kerr-McGee Corp. reported second-quarter 2001 net income of $175 million ($1.71 per diluted share). This compares with income before special items of $217 million ($2.13 per share) and net income of $110 million ($1.11 per share) in the same prior-year quarter. The 2000 quarter included $107 million ($1.02 per share) in special charges. No special charges were recorded in the 2001 quarter. "Kerr-McGee continued to generate strong earnings and cash flow per share during the second quarter while taking steps to further strengthen and balance its portfolio of assets," said Luke R. Corbett, Kerr-McGee chairman and chief executive officer. "We have supplemented our drilling success with the announced agreement to acquire HS Resources, a core U.S. onshore gas asset.
Oil Price Rebound Means Big Gains for Oil Producers
The third quarter proved to be a prosperous one for oil companies, as most of our sampling realized substantial gains in net income and net operating income for the period, as compared to 1998's third quarter. A higher average worldwide crude oil price was chiefly responsible for the increases, although in some cases, cost-cutting measures also contributed heavily to the financial results. Exploration and production net operating income was up, nearly across the board. However, for the first nine months of 1999, earnings and net income are still down from the same period in 1998. Phillips Petroleum Company reported third-quarter net income of $221 million up from $46 million for the same period last year. Total revenues were $3.8 billion, versus $2.9 billion a year ago.
