The UK P&I Club (the UK Club), one of the oldest shipping protection and indemnity insurance mutuals, has announced that ratings agency Standard and Poor’s has extended its ‘A – ‘ rating to The United Kingdom Mutual Steamship Assurance Association (Europe) Ltd. (the Europe Club). This news follows the November announcement that Standard and Poor’s upgraded the outlook for The United Kingdom Mutual Steamship Assurance Association (Bermuda) Ltd. (the Bermuda Club) to “Positive.” This upgraded ‘Positive’ outlook also extends to the Europe Club. As part of an internal reorganisation ahead of the introduction of Solvency II regulations, the Europe Club will become the group’s main provider of direct insurance from February 2013.