The contest for second place in the protection-and-indemnity (P&I) tonnage league is neck-and-neck after last week’s renewal of cover.

Both the UK and North of England clubs are declaring they have 127 million gross tons (gt) of owners’ tonnage, so there is very little difference on this score.

But the UK Club wins handsomely in terms of charterers’ tonnage and in most other respects after a renewal that saw its Newcastle-based rival lose 10 million gt and the number-two spot in the owners’ tonnage league.