SWIRE EXPECTS CONTINUED GROWTH THIS YEAR Swire Pacific Ltd <SWPC.HKG> expects continued growth in all divisions this year though it sees problems in the marine sector, chairman Michael Miles said. He told reporters:"1987 has started well for Cathay Pacific Airways which looks forward to another good year... Swire Properties expects further good results both from properties under development for sale and from its investment property portfolio." He did not give any specific projections for earnings. The company earlier reported 46 pct higher 1986 net profits at 1.78 billion H.K. Dlrs from a year ago. Swire also had an extraordinary profit of 1.38 billion dlrs mainly from the sale of a 15.25 pct interest in Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd <CAPH.HKG>. Miles said the company will use the money to develop its business, primarily in Hong Kong. Swire's stake in Cathay was first reduced to 54.25 pct from 70 pct when Cathay was publicly floated, and then cut to 50.25 pct when Cathay issued new shares amounting to 12 pct of the enlarged capital to the state-owned <China International Trust and Investment Corp>. Cathay last week reported its 1986 profits rose to 1.23 billion dlrs from 777 mln a year ago. Miles said despite last year's rapid expansion in Cathay's flights and fleet, load factor is still holding up at 70 pct. He said Cathay's growth last year was the result of "a marginal increase in the revenue load factor coupled with savings in fuel costs." "At present fuel prices are stable and will remain stable for the rest of this year," he said, "though there might be a bit of increase later this year.'' Miles said Swire is not abandoning its offshore oil service operations, even though the marine sector is generally depressed. "Obviously the marine industry is not getting any better," he said. The real estate market remained strong and Swire last year revalued its property portfolio up 634 mln dlrs compared with an increase of 864.4 mln dlrs the previous year. Miles said he expects the property market to remain firm but said the firm has no available land for a major housing project such as its Taikoo Shing development on Hong Kong island now near completion. He said the company's 50 pct unit <Hongkong United Dockyard Ltd> is negotiating with the government for the development of an existing petroleum storage depot into a major housing estate. "But it's not as big as Taikoo Shing," he said.