P&O Nedlloyd Container Line Ltd

P&O Nedlloyd Container Line Ltd. posted its best-ever second quarter results on Thursday. The group said profits before tax were $28 million, a $60 million improvement on a $32 million loss notched up for the same period last year. P & O Nedlloyd attributed the solid performance, achieved despite high fuel costs, to growing volume and cost savings.

Volume during the second quarter was the greatest ever achieved by the group, a 50-50 joint venture between Dutch Koninklijke Nedlloyd Groep NV and Britain's Peninular & Oriental Steam Navigation Co, since it started trading in 1997.

P & O Nedlloyd said annualized savings, currently running at around $60 million, would comfortably hit a target of $100 million by the end of this year and $180 million by the end of 2001.