Sea Containers Announces Sale of Folkestone Port

Sea Containers Ltd., marine container lessor, passenger and freight transport operator and leisure industry investor, today announced that it had sold its subsidiary Folkestone Properties Ltd, owners of Folkestone Harbour on the south east coast of the United Kingdom. Contracts were signed for the port sale on July 2, 2004 and the purchase, by businessman Mr Roger De Haan who is well known as chairman of the Folkestone-based Saga Group, was completed on August 24, 2004. The sale price was $20 million (GBP11 million). President of Sea Containers Ltd., Mr James B. Sherwood, said the gain will be recorded in the company's third quarter results. Mr Sherwood indicated that long term rights were retained for Orient-Express Hotels Ltd., the company in which Sea Containers has a large shareholding, to access the station and car park for passengers and vehicles related to the Venice Simplon-Orient Express and British Pullman tourist trains.