February 18 - MPI Offshore signed a six-year lease with PD Ports to use Teesport Commerce Park in Middlesbrough as its UK base.
Teesport Commerce Park will serve as home of MPI Offshore's expanding fleet of installation vessels, which includes the MPI Adventure, Resolution, Discovery and Enterprise.
Peter Robinson, MPI's managing director, commented: "Establishing a permanent base at PD Ports facility provides us with 54,000 sq ft (5,016 sq m) of warehousing. It has been acquired as part of our strategic business development and will strengthen the case to establish the Tees as an offshore renewables base. Along with this commitment we can look forward to developing further links we have with local suppliers who have supported MPI's growth to date."
Jerry Hopkinson, PD Ports' managing director bulks and ports, added: "Offshore expertise is second to none in the Tees Valley region and this expertise is being used to drive expansion in the UK offshore and wind power sector.
"We are seeing this more and more within our business and the arrival of MPI is further evidence of the attractiveness of facilities on the River Tees to the offshore industry. By anchoring a base at Teesport Commerce Park we are confident this will be a catalyst for further growth and investment in the near future."
