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PD Ports has won a major pipeline contract with global oilfield services company, Saipem to service the Tolmount gas field, one of the largest undeveloped gas discoveries in the Southern North Sea.

Owned and operated by PD Ports, the Port of Hartlepool secured the contract to handle, temporarily store and load 26,000 tonnes of steel pipe over a 5-week period before final vessel load-out to Tolmount gas field, located 64km off the coast of Shetland in Yorkshire.

Headquartered in Milan, Italy, Saipem awarded the contract to PD Ports based on Hartlepool’s excellent port facilities and infrastructure, complemented by an available land bank to cater for large-scale offshore projects and underpinned by a skilled and experienced workforce in steel handling.

The pipes, which arrived at the Port of Hartlepool via three shipments, each carrying around 9,000 tonnes of steel pipe, have been stored within the extensive quayside warehouse facilities since arriving in April.

Having commenced work on the project in mid-June, PD Ports’ highly skilled team is managing the daily load out to supply the pipe-laying vessel in the North Sea, which expects to complete by the end of August.

Frans Calje, PD Ports’ CEO, said:

“This latest contact win builds on our long and proud history in the handling of steel pipes for major offshore projects at Hartlepool and demonstrates our vision to further develop our facilities and position the Port as a major UK offshore supply zone.

“We continue to invest heavily in our facilities and our people in the Tees Valley, and as a result we have built a highly regarded reputation for deliverable logistics services. This combination of capacity, infrastructure and skills has provided the building blocks to develop strong partnerships and attract new business to the region; stimulating economic growth and supporting local jobs within the supply chain.”