
Dubai-based Lukoil Marine Lubricants has reached an agreement with Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) that will extend and strengthen the two companies’ existing relationship. For the past three years, Lukoil has supplied KOTC with marine lubricants. Under the new deal Lukoil will supply KOTC’s 24-strong fleet of VLCCs, product tankers, LPG carriers and bunker ships for a further three-year period.
The official signing at KOTC headquarters in Kuwait was attended by June Manoharan, Director of Lukoil Marine Lubricants, and Ali Shehab, the Chief Executive Officer of KOTC. Various high-level representatives from both companies were also present during the meeting. Attendees from Lukoil included Regional Sales Manager Saif Anabtawi, Sales Manager Aravinth Sridharan and Business Development Manager Joshan Manoharan. KOTC representatives included Team Leader for Dry Docking Bader Al Najjar, Acting Manager Jihad Al Bannay, and Superintendent Salim Al Shahoumi.
Speaking after the contract signing, Ali Shehab said: “Though our business relationship with Lukoil has been brief thus far, the company and its personnel have demonstrated nothing short of first-class quality with both their marine lubricant product, and the excellent services they have provided us with during our three-year collaboration. Ultimately, deciding to renew our contract was the best decision for KOTC as, through their services, Lukoil has aided our mission of conducting operations to world class standards in an efficient manner while promoting safety and environmental responsibility.”
As KOTC’s entire fleet of 24 vessels will be drydocking this year, the renewal of the deal with Lukoil has come at an opportune time. Al Najjar added: “In the past three years of using Lukoil’s marine lubricants on board our vessels, KOTC engineers have been very vocal about the numerous positive benefits which this has had in relation to previous products we have used. This, combined with the iCOlube unit which works hand-in-hand to provide better vessel performance, makes us optimistic about the next three years ahead.”