FEBRUARY 12, 1998. - LUKOIL and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping signed a co-operation agreement at the beginning of February.

The agreement provides for the exchange of information and consultations on ordering, building and using the LUKOIL tanker and technological fleet, including see drilling platforms. Besides, the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping will consult LUKOIL on the International Safe Seafaring Code.

The agreement is part of the company program of building a tanker fleet. The tanker fleet currently consists of three vessels: Lukomorye (carrying capacity 34,000 tonnes), Kogalym (27,000 tonnes) and ice tanker Perm (15,000 tonnes). Five ice-going tankers (20,000 tonnes) are under construction at the Admiralty Shipyard in St. Petersburg and four (15,000 tonnes) in Wismar, Germany. Ten more river-sea tankers are under construction at the Volgograd shipyard. On February 27 the LUKOIL fleet will be joined by an ice-going tanker called Volgograd in honour of the city where LUKOIL has one of its two refineries.

The Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, a classification agency, was founded in 1913. Since 1969 it has been a member of the International Association of Classification Organisations of 11 leading agencies of the world. Its main purposes are to guarantee highest standards in ships safety and to prevent sea pollution.

At the ceremony of signing the agreement LUKOIL Vice President Anatoly Barkov said co-operation with the Sea Shipping Register will guarantee a high quality of the vessels under construction and their safe use.

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