February 5 - Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) has supported international contractor to the oil and gas industry, Saipem, with a major pipe laying project in the Gulf of Mexico.

ISS provided marine agency and logistics support - assembling a 15 person team that provided port agency and husbandry, crew logistics services, freight forwarding, warehousing and personnel logistics - for Saipem's newest pipe lay vessel, Castorone, which was employed on the 219 km long Walker Ridge oil export pipeline.

During the course of the nine month long project, ISS handled over 250 port calls in Port Fouchon and New Iberia, Louisiana, and coordinated over 6,000 crew changes and nearly 600 van transports between New Orleans and Port Fouchon.

ISS provided project logistics support to Saipem through the provision and operation of bonded warehouses in Houston and Port Fouchon, with the arrangement and timely Customs clearance and delivery of over 2,500 tonnes of freight.

www.iss-shipping.com