Members of the recently formed Russian Association of Marine and River Bunker Suppliers have decided to establish a national professional award; Leader of the Regional Bunker Market .

The association, which held its latest general meeting on Wednesday, January 25, elaborated on the details of the awards to Bunkerworld today.

Awards will be given for each of the main important shipping regions of Russia where members operate, namely the Baltic, Far East, Northern Region and Southern Region. For example, the Baltic region will include suppliers operating in St. Petersburg, Vyborg, Vysotsk, Kronshtadt, Primorsk, Ust-Luga, Kaliningrad.

Eligible companies will submit an application, detailing volumes supplied for the past year. A special jury will then collate and compare this data. Consideration will also be given to the absence or existence of claims, investments in safety programmes, charity, social activity etc.

Members of the jury will be well-known industry professionals, state officials, respected experts and journalists.

Awards will be made once a year in the summer, with the ceremony to take place at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the association.

The association was formed in June, 2005, to protect the joint commercial interests of the nation's bunker suppliers and promote the image of Russia's bunkering sector by ensuring quality fuels and service, open and honest competition in the sector, and to establish dialogue with legislators and regulators.

See also:

• Five new companies join Russian Bunker Association (January 26, 2006)
• Russian bunker association gathers momentum (December 16, 2005)
• Industry association to ensure fully open and honest competition(November 24, 2005)

Shelley Kerr | Fri Jan 27 11:23:1 GMT 2006