**NICOR      ANNOUNCES 2006 PRELIMINARY EARNINGS AND 2007 ANNUAL OUTLOOK**

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| ·   | For                the twelve months ended December 31, 2006 gas distribution operating                income increased to $123.9 million from $116.9 million in 2005. The                year-to-date period reflected: |
|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | - | The                positive impact of the fourth quarter 2005 base rate increase on                revenues                (approximately $36 million); increased natural gas deliveries due                to                demand unrelated to weather (approximately $5 million); the first                quarter                mercury-related recovery ($3.8 million); and increased property sale                gains                ($2.9 million). |
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|   | - | Partially                offsetting these positive factors were the negative impact on natural                gas                deliveries due to warmer weather compared to last year (approximately                $17                million); and the passage of Chicago Hub revenues through the purchased                gas adjustment rider effective with the company’s fourth quarter 2005 rate                order (approximately $8 million). |
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|   | - | Higher                operating and maintenance costs ($13.7 million) including the impact                of                increased storage-related natural gas costs (which are now recorded                in                operating and maintenance expense effective with our 2005 rate order),                natural gas and fuel costs to operate company equipment and facilities;                offset in part by decreased bad debt expense, lower claims arising                from                normal operations and lower payroll and benefit-related                costs. |
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|   | - | Higher                depreciation ($5.6 million). |
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| ·   | For                the 2006 fourth quarter, gas distribution operating income decreased                to                $43.7 million from $44.8 million in 2005. The quarter                reflected: |
|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | - | The                negative impact on natural gas deliveries due to warmer weather compared                to last year (approximately $9 million); lower average distribution                rates                (approximately $5 million); and higher depreciation ($1.2                million). |
|--------|---|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

|   | - | Partially                offsetting these negative factors were increased natural gas deliveries                due to demand unrelated to weather (approximately $10 million) and                lower                operating and maintenance costs ($7.7 million) due primarily to lower                bad                debt expense. |
|--------|---|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

| ·   | For                the twelve months ended December 31, 2006, shipping operating income                increased to $47.5 million from $40.4 million in 2005 due primarily                to                increased revenues resulting from higher average rates, offset in                part by                the impact of lower volumes and higher operating costs. Increased                operating costs for the 2006 twelve-month period, compared to 2005,                related to higher transportation-related expenses (including fuel),                employee-related costs, repairs and maintenance expense and leased                freight                equipment cost; partially offset by the absence of last year’s fourth                quarter audit and legal fees in connection with the repatriation                of                foreign earnings and a reorganization of the shipping business, which                became effective in January 2006. For the 2006 fourth quarter, shipping                operating income increased to $18.0 million from $8.6 million in                2005 due                primarily to increased revenues resulting from higher volumes and                higher                average rates; and lower operating costs due primarily to the absence                of                last year’s audit and legal fees in connection with the repatriation of                foreign earnings and reorganization of the shipping business. |
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| ·   | For                the twelve months ended December 31, 2006, other energy-related ventures                operating income increased to $26.6 million compared to $14.1 million                in                2005 due primarily to improved operating results in the company’s                wholesale natural gas marketing business; partially offset by lower                operating results in the company’s retail energy-related products and                services business. For the 2006 fourth quarter, other energy ventures                operating income increased to $25.9 million from $22.7 million in                2005 due                primarily to improved operating results in the company’s retail                energy-related products and services businesses. |
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| ·   | Corporate                2006 twelve-month operating results included the previously discussed                $10                million charge (non-deductible for tax purposes) relating to the                SEC                inquiry, the favorable weather-related impact associated with certain                of                the company’s retail utility-bill management products of approximately                $9.5 million pretax (under terms of a corporate swap agreement, benefits                or costs resulting from such variances in normal weather are recorded                primarily at the corporate level), and a third quarter insurance                recovery                of $5.2 million pretax related to previously incurred legal expenses.                Corporate 2005 twelve-month operating results included the previously                discussed net recoveries of $29.9 million pretax, as well as insurance                recoveries of $2.8 million pretax related to previously incurred                legal                expenses. Corporate 2006 fourth quarter results included the favorable                weather-related impact associated with certain of the company’s retail                utility-bill management products of approximately $3.2 million pretax,                compared to the unfavorable weather impact on such businesses in                the 2005                fourth quarter of approximately $2.2 million                pretax. |
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| ·   | 2006                twelve-month financial results were also favorably impacted by higher                pretax equity investment income, due primarily to a third quarter                pretax                gain of $2.4 million on a sale of an equity investment interest;                and                favorable adjustments associated with tax audits, which occur in                the                ordinary course of business (approximately $1 million after-tax). |
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| **·  ** | 2005                twelve-month and fourth quarter financial results were also impacted                by                the previously noted income tax benefit of $17 million associated                with the                repatriation of foreign earnings under provisions of the Jobs Act. |
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**200**
**7      Earnings Outlook**

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**Conference      Call**

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**Caution      Concerning Forward-Looking Statements**

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| **Nicor                Inc.**                                                               |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------|--------|------------------------------------|--------|---------|--------|--------|---------|
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
| PRELIMINARY                CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS                            |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |
| *Unaudited                (millions, except per share data)*                                |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
|                                                                                        |   | Three                months ended |   | Twelve                months ended |   |
|                                                                                        |   | December                31        |   | December                31         |   |
|                                                                                        |   | 2006                              |   | 2005                               |   | 2006    |   | 2005   |    |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Operating                revenues**                                                       |   | $                                 | 838.2  |                               | $      | 1,357.5 |   | $      | 2,960.0 |   | $ | 3,357.8 |   |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Operating                expenses**                                                       |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **  **Gas                distribution                                             |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
|                       Cost of gas                             |   |                              | 484.9  |                               |   | 1,010.2 |   |   | 1,743.7 |   |   | 2,212.4 |   |
|                       Operating and maintenance               |   |                              | 68.6   |                               |   | 76.3    |   |   | 268.5   |   |   | 254.8 |   |
|                       Depreciation                            |   |                              | 39.8   |                               |   | 38.6    |   |   | 160.1   |   |   | 154.5 |   |
|                       Taxes, other than income taxes          |   |                              | 39.8   |                               |   | 47.0    |   |   | 163.0   |   |   | 171.0 |   |
|                       Mercury-related costs (recoveries), net |   |                              | -      |                               |   | .3      |   |   | (3.6    | ) |   | .4 |   |
|                       Property sale gains                     |   |                              | (.1    | )                                  |   | (.2     | )      |   | (3.3    | ) |   | (.4 | ) |
| **  **Shipping                                                                    |   |                              | 92.2   |                               |   | 95.2    |   |   | 350.8   |   |   | 338.1 |   |
|                   Other energy ventures                                           |   |                              | 54.9   |                               |   | 44.6    |   |   | 189.3   |   |   | 142.9 |   |
| **   **Litigation                charges (recoveries), net                   |   |                              | -      |                               |   | -       |   |   | 10.0    |   |   | (29.9 | ) |
| **  **Other                corporate expenses and eliminations                    |   |                              | (32.9  | )                                  |   | (27.8   | )      |   | (121.0  | ) |   | (87.7 | ) |
| **  **Total                operating expenses                                     |   |                              | 747.2  |                               |   | 1,284.2 |   |   | 2,757.5 |   |   | 3,156.1 |   |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Operating                income**                                                         |   |                              | 91.0   |                               |   | 73.3    |   |   | 202.5   |   |   | 201.7 |   |
| **Interest                expense, net of amounts capitalized**                             |   |                              | 13.6   |                               |   | 14.0    |   |   | 49.1    |   |   | 46.8 |   |
| **Equity                investment income, net**                                            |   |                              | 1.9    |                               |   | 2.6     |   |   | 11.1    |   |   | 9.3 |   |
| **Interest                income**                                                          |   |                              | 1.1    |                               |   | 1.6     |   |   | 9.0     |   |   | 6.0 |   |
| **Other                income, net**                                                        |   |                              | .2     |                               |   | .3      |   |   | .6      |   |   | .8 |   |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Income                before income taxes**                                               |   |                              | 80.6   |                               |   | 63.8    |   |   | 174.1   |   |   | 171.0 |   |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Income                tax expense, net of benefits**                                      |   |                              | 22.3   |                               |   | 1.8     |   |   | 45.8    |   |   | 34.7 |   |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Net                income**                                                               |   | $                                 | 58.3   |                               | $      | 62.0    |   | $      | 128.3   |   | $ | 136.3 |   |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Average                shares of common stock outstanding**                               |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
|                      Basic                                         |   |                              | 44.9   |                               |   | 44.3    |   |   | 44.6    |   |   | 44.2 |   |
|                      Diluted                                       |   |                              | 45.0   |                               |   | 44.4    |   |   | 44.7    |   |   | 44.4 |   |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Earnings                per average share of common stock**                               |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
|       Basic                earnings per share                 |   | $                                 | 1.30   |                               | $      | 1.40    |   | $      | 2.88    |   | $ | 3.08 |   |
|                      Diluted earnings per share                    |   | $                                 | 1.29   |                               | $      | 1.40    |   | $      | 2.87    |   | $ | 3.07 |   |
|                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |

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| **Nicor                Inc.**                                            |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------|--------|------------------------------------|--------|---------|--------|--------|---------|
|                                                                     |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
| PRELIMINARY                FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS                          |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
| *Unaudited                (millions, except per share data)*             |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
|                                                                     |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |
|                                                                     |   | Three                months ended |   | Twelve                months ended |   |
|                                                                     |   | December                31        |   | December                31         |   |
|                                                                     |   | 2006                              |   | 2005                               |   | 2006    |   | 2005   |    |
|                                                                     |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Operating                revenues**                                    |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
|                    Gas distribution                       |   | $                                 | 676.7  |                               | $      | 1,217.0 |   | $      | 2,452.3 |   | $ | 2,909.6 |   |
|                    Shipping                               |   |                              | 110.2  |                               |   | 103.8   |   |   | 398.3   |   |   | 378.5 |   |
|                    Other energy ventures                  |   |                              | 80.8   |                               |   | 67.3    |   |   | 215.9   |   |   | 157.0 |   |
|                    Corporate and eliminations             |   |                              | (29.5  | )                                  |   | (30.6   | )      |   | (106.5  | ) |   | (87.3 | ) |
|                                                                     |   | $                                 | 838.2  |                               | $      | 1,357.5 |   | $      | 2,960.0 |   | $ | 3,357.8 |   |
|                                                                     |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Operating                income (loss)**                               |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
|                    Gas distribution                       |   | $                                 | 43.7   |                               | $      | 44.8    |   | $      | 123.9   |   | $ | 116.9 |   |
|                    Shipping                               |   |                              | 18.0   |                               |   | 8.6     |   |   | 47.5    |   |   | 40.4 |   |
|                    Other energy ventures                  |   |                              | 25.9   |                               |   | 22.7    |   |   | 26.6    |   |   | 14.1 |   |
|                    Corporate and eliminations             |   |                              | 3.4    |                               |   | (2.8    | )      |   | 4.5     |   |   | 30.3 |   |
|                                                                     |   | $                                 | 91.0   |                               | $      | 73.3    |   | $      | 202.5   |   | $ | 201.7 |   |
|                                                                     |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Net                income**                                            |   | $                                 | 58.3   |                               | $      | 62.0    |   | $      | 128.3   |   | $ | 136.3 |   |
|                                                                     |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Average                shares of common stock outstanding**            |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
|                    Basic                                  |   |                              | 44.9   |                               |   | 44.3    |   |   | 44.6    |   |   | 44.2 |   |
|                    Diluted                                |   |                              | 45.0   |                               |   | 44.4    |   |   | 44.7    |   |   | 44.4 |   |
|                                                                     |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
| **Earnings                per average share of common stock**            |   |                              |   |                               |   |    |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |
|                      Basic earnings per share   |   | $                                 | 1.30   |                               | $      | 1.40    |   | $      | 2.88    |   | $ | 3.08 |   |
|                      Diluted earnings per share |   | $                                 | 1.29   |                               | $      | 1.40    |   | $      | 2.87    |   | $ | 3.07 |   |

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| **Nicor                Inc.**                                                                                                                                                                                                               |   |                              |   |                               |                     Preliminary Operating Statistics  Page 1 of 2 |    |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------|--------|------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|
| ***Gas                Distribution***                                                                                                                                                                                                       |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |
| *Unaudited*                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   | Three                months ended |   | Twelve                months ended |                                                                                                 |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   | December                31        |   | December                31         |                                                                                                 |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   | 2006                              |   | 2005                               |                                                                                                 | 2006    |   | 2005 |   |
| **Operating                revenues (millions)**                                                                                                                                                                                            |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                   Sales - Residential                                                                                                                                                                                             |   | $                                 | 463.6  |                               | $                                                                                                    | 890.7   |   | $ | 1,671.1 |   | $ | 2,031.4 |   |
|                                Commercial                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 98.7   |                               |                                                                                                 | 198.5   |   |   | 373.9 |   |   | 453.5 |   |
|                                Industrial                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 10.9   |                               |                                                                                                 | 26.9    |   |   | 42.8 |   |   | 61.8 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 573.2  |                               |                                                                                                 | 1,116.1 |   |   | 2,087.8 |   |   | 2,546.7 |   |
|                  Transportation - Residential                                                                                                                                                                                          |   |                              | 10.1   |                               |                                                                                                 | 8.7     |   |   | 32.0 |   |   | 27.9 |   |
|                            Commercial                                                                                                                                                |   |                              | 26.6   |                               |                                                                                                 | 22.1    |   |   | 82.1 |   |   | 73.1 |   |
|             Industrial                                                                                                                                                          |   |                              | 9.8    |                               |                                                                                                 | 9.9     |   |   | 41.0 |   |   | 39.2 |   |
|                            Other                                                                                                                                                     |   |                              | 2.1    |                               |                                                                                                 | 3.1     |   |   | 3.7 |   |   | 11.7 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 48.6   |                               |                                                                                                 | 43.8    |   |   | 158.8 |   |   | 151.9 |   |
|                  Other revenues - Revenue taxes                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 36.2   |                               |                                                                                                 | 44.0    |   |   | 147.7 |   |   | 156.4 |   |
|                                                 Environmental cost recovery |   |                              | 4.4    |                               |                                                                                                 | 5.1     |   |   | 11.6 |   |   | 21.0 |   |
|                                                 Chicago Hub                 |   |                              | 12.5   |                               |                                                                                                 | 4.0     |   |   | 26.4 |   |   | 11.5 |   |
|                                                 Other                       |   |                              | 1.8    |                               |                                                                                                 | 4.0     |   |   | 20.0 |   |   | 22.1 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 54.9   |                               |                                                                                                 | 57.1    |   |   | 205.7 |   |   | 211.0 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   | $                                 | 676.7  |                               | $                                                                                                    | 1,217.0 |   | $ | 2,452.3 |   | $ | 2,909.6 |   |
| **Deliveries                (Bcf)**                                                                                                                                                                                                         |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                  Sales - Residential                                                                                                                                                                                                   |   |                              | 64.3   |                               |                                                                                                 | 69.0    |   |   | 185.9 |   |   | 200.2 |   |
|                               Commercial                                                                                                                              |   |                              | 13.9   |                               |                                                                                                 | 15.3    |   |   | 41.8 |   |   | 44.7 |   |
|                               Industrial                                                                                                                              |   |                              | 1.6    |                               |                                                                                                 | 2.1     |   |   | 5.0 |   |   | 6.3 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 79.8   |                               |                                                                                                 | 86.4    |   |   | 232.7 |   |   | 251.2 |   |
|                  Transportation - Residential                                                                                                                                                                                          |   |                              | 6.2    |                               |                                                                                                 | 6.2     |   |   | 17.0 |   |   | 18.9 |   |
|                                                Commercial                        |   |                              | 25.8   |                               |                                                                                                 | 26.7    |   |   | 80.4 |   |   | 87.5 |   |
|                                                Industrial                        |   |                              | 28.6   |                               |                                                                                                 | 28.3    |   |   | 108.6 |   |   | 113.0 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 60.6   |                               |                                                                                                 | 61.2    |   |   | 206.0 |   |   | 219.4 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 140.4  |                               |                                                                                                 | 147.6   |   |   | 438.7 |   |   | 470.6 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Degree                days**                                                                                                                                                                                                              |   |                              | 1,873  |                               |                                                                                                 | 2,211   |   |   | 5,174 |   |   | 5,783 |   |
| **Colder                (warmer) than normal**                                                                                                                                                                                              |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                  Degree days                                                                                                                                                                                                           |   |                              | (200   | )                                  |                                                                                                 | 138     |   |   | (656 | ) |   | (47 | ) |
|                  Percent                                                                                                                                                                                                               |   |                              | (10    | )                                  |                                                                                                 | 7       |   |   | (11 | ) |   | (1 | ) |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Average                gas cost per Mcf sold**                                                                                                                                                                                            |   | $                                 | 6.02   |                               | $                                                                                                    | 11.65   |   | $ | 7.44 |   | $ | 8.74 |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Customers                at December 31** (thousands) (1)                                                                                                                                                                                 |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                                 |    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                  Sales - Residential                                                                                                                                                                                                   |   |                              | 1,807  |                               |                                                                                                 | 1,796   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                               Commercial                                                                                                                              |   |                              | 123    |                               |                                                                                                 | 120     |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                Industrial                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 7      |                               |                                                                                                 | 8       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 1,937  |                               |                                                                                                 | 1,924   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                  Transportation - Residential                                                                                                                                                                                          |   |                              | 166    |                               |                                                                                                 | 157     |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                Commercial                        |   |                              | 57     |                               |                                                                                                 | 58      |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                Industrial                        |   |                              | 6      |                               |                                                                                                 | 6       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 229    |                               |                                                                                                 | 221     |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
|                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |   |                              | 2,166  |                               |                                                                                                 | 2,145   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

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| **Nicor                Inc.**                                         |   |                              |   |                               |      Preliminary              Operating Statistics Page 2 of 2 |   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|-----------------------------------|--------|------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------|
| ***Shipping***                                                        |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                    |   |   |   |   |
| *Unaudited*                                                           |   | Three                months ended |   | Twelve                months ended |                                                                                    |
|                                                                  |   | December                31        |   | December                31         |                                                                                    |
|                                                                  |   | 2006                              |   | 2005                               |                                                                                    | 2006   |   | 2005 |   |
|                                                                  |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Operating                revenues (millions)**                      |   | $                                 | 110.2  |                               | $                                                                                       | 103.8  |   | $ | 398.3 |   | $ | 378.5 |   |
|                                                                  |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Operating                income (millions)**                        |   | $                                 | 18.0   |                               | $                                                                                       | 8.6    |   | $ | 47.5 |   | $ | 40.4 |   |
|                                                                  |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Twenty-foot                equivalent units (TEU)**                 |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **                     shipped (thousands)** |   |                              | 55.8   |                               |                                                                                    | 54.7   |   |   | 203.1 |   |   | 214.2 |   |
|                                                                  |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Revenue                per TEU**                                    |   | $                                 | 1,975  |                               | $                                                                                       | 1,898  |   | $ | 1,961 |   | $ | 1,764 |   |
|                                                                  |   |                              |   |                               |                                                                                    |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
| **Vessels                operated**                                   |   |                              | 18     |                               |                                                                                    | 18     |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |