In Brief: More Grippen offset; BPH BPK profit warning; Shipyard sales

The production of ships that would use less fuel at lower drive speed and emit less exhaust fumes will be part of the offset program proposed by Swedish Grippen International if it wins the tender to supply the Polish military with Grippen fighters. The Poznan-based Cegielski engineering firm has been earmarked to produce these ship engines. (Prawo i Gospodarka) ... Jozef Wancer, the chairman of the third biggest retail bank, BPH PBK, yesterday announced that the bank's net profit in 2002 would not surpass that of 2001, when it reached zl. 336 million. This is due to losses from the bank's involvement in the shipyard industry. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B7) ... German ship owner Peter Doehle, has ordered a fifth container ship from the New Szczecin Shipyard, to be delivered in December next year. According to estimates, in 2003 the enterprise will sell zl. 300 million worth of ships. Currently the yard is building nine ships. (Rzeczpospolita, p.B1) M.T.