Seastreak Commuter Service News

Sea Containers Ltd. said it would withdraw from the ferry business, and it now expects to take $500 million in charges for the fourth quarter, sending its shares down 9 percent. The company, which runs the SeaStreak commuter service linking New Jersey with New York City, said the charges would reduce its net worth by $475 million, making it unable to comply with certain bank borrowing agreements. The passenger transport and marine container leasing company said in a statement that its board had decided to exit the ferry business, resulting in a noncash impairment charge of $415 million on a pretax basis for the fourth quarter. The company had previously estimated that it would take a fourth-quarter charge of $112 million.

Sea Containers Ltd. has announced that the company is completely quitting the ferry business, including its SeaStreak commuter service between New York City and New Jersey, taking a $500 million charge and was in talks to amend some of its loan agreements. Shares of the Bermuda-registered passenger transport and marine container leasing company fell as much as 29 percent after the announcement. Sea Containers said it would restate its earnings for all four quarters of 2005 and delay filing its annual reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission until April to allow time to finalize bank negotiations and outstanding accounting issues.