HHLA still downbeat on 2009 throughput outlook

HAMBURG, Germany, June 4 (Reuters) - German logistics company HHLA (HHFGn.DE) still sees the total number of containers it loads and unloads falling by a significant double-digit percentage this year, Chief Executive Klaus-Dieter Peters said on Thursday.

In the first quarter of 2009, container throughput had dropped by 31.8 percent to 1.25 million TEU container units, after a 1.2 percent increase in the full year 2008.

But Peters said that HHLA has sufficient financial means to weather the global economic crisis and would not post a full-year loss this year. (Reporting by Jan Schwartz; Writing by Maria Sheahan)