society which could see more ships added to the local shipping register.

The talks follow a decision by the British Government to allow the Italian classification society to inspect ships registered in the United Kingdom.

Now the same rights are expected to be extended to Bermuda and the other three dependent territories with so-called class one shipping registers -- the Isle of Man, the Cayman Islands and Gibraltar.

Countries with shipping registers delegate inspections and surveys of ships flying under their flags to classification societies, of which there are more than 30 around the world.

But they may only register ships which are inspected by classification societies which they recognise. Until now Bermuda, through Britain, has recognised only five classification societies -- the American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, Det Norske Veritas, Germanisher Lloyds and Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Now the Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) joins the group.

Registrar of Shipping Ron Bulling said Bermuda played an instrumental role in lobbying for the move following a number of enquiries for registration under the Bermuda flag from owners of ships inspectd by RINA.

"Owing to RINA not being an authorised classification vessel for British ships, we were not in a position to register those RINA classed ships under the Bermuda flag,'' he said. "The Registry did lobby the United Kingdom Department of Transport with a view to Bermuda being accepted as an authorised class society.'' Mr. Bulling said the British Government accepted RINA for inspection of British ships following a stringent quality standards assessment earlier this month.

"We are pleased that the UK have now signed an agreement with RINA. This agreement will make way for Bermuda to register RINA classed ships,'' Mr.

Bulling said, adding that the agreement could be in place by the end of the year.

Mr. Bulling said that he anticipated that a number of ships classed with RINA could now be added to the Bermuda Register.

RINA is recognised for certain specialties such as the classification of large cruise ships.

With a staff of more than 500, 26 branch offices outside Italy and 140 agencies around the world, RINA has a wide web of offices, making surveys and inspections convenient for Bermuda-registered ships.

Lloyd's List reported earlier this month that RINA has been at the "forefront of the move to restore credibility of class in the maritime world following a period during which a lack of confidence in the among the insurance sector led to structural condition warranty surveys.

Total gross tonnage registered under the Bermuda flag now stands at more than 3.6 million gross tons. This includes 105 commercial vessels and 375 yachts.

He added that there are also three vessels -- weighing a combined 250,000 gross tons -- under construction in Japan which will be added to the Bermuda Register when they are launched.