Earnings for Bermuda-based Sea Containers Ltd. rose 12 percent to $14.3 million or 80 cents per common share for the second quarter to June 30, on revenues of $282 million.

Net income for the first six months was up 27 percent to $16.2 million on revenues of $530 million.

Income from the company's ferry, rail and port operations swelled from $5.6 million to $14.9 million, after a better performance from all the firm's ferry businesses and the inclusion of certain full quarter results for which only two months were included in last year's quarter.

The leisure division's results rose $1.2 million to $10.3 million, with hotels up $700,000 and tourist trains and cruise ship earnings rising $500,000.

Tourist trains and cruise ship doubled their second quarter results over the prior period.

The container division's operating income of $16.5 million was indicative of a stagnation in the results over the last year because of competitive pressures depressing re-lease rates.

A better second half of the year is projected after $53 million worth of new containers purchased during the fist six months have all been leased out.

President, James B. Sherwood, said the first six month results were consistent with earlier forecasts, with major earnings growth coming from passenger transport and leisure divisions, as opposed to marine container leasing. He predicted a continuation of that pattern in the third quarter.

Two new SuperSeaCats were introduced in June for the Sweden/Denmark and the UK/France services, with both performing well.

Two new ferry routes were also opened that month, from Liverpool to Dublin and from Scotland to Northern Ireland.

Three Italian hotels owned by the group and North American properties realised growth in earnings. Southern African and Portuguese properties were slightly weaker. The Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro was strongly ahead of the prior year, reflecting the completion of its renovation programme.

The company has agreed in principle on a sale of one of its smaller hotels in the third quarter.