earnings of $9.9 million (1995: $9.8 million) for the third quarter to September 30 on revenues of $260.6 million (1995: $144.9 million).

The container leasing, ferries and leisure group said yesterday that it brought its nine month profit up to $22.7 million (1995: $105.7 million) on revenues of $579.4 million (1995: $374.2 million).

Last year's figures, they recalled, were improved by the gain of $100 million through the sale of a ferry subsidiary.

Operating earnings for the company's container division were down in the third quarter, as two container ships in the Maersk West Australia Line joint venture had to be temporarily withdrawn.

The container division has just entered into a large contract to supply refrigerated container storage for beef, generating a half a million dollars in revenue a month.