PRESS RELEASE – 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 the Tolmount gas field, located 64km off the coast of Shetland in Yorkshire.

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

Having commenced work on the project in mid-June, PD Ports’ 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 contract 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.”