Abstract: A freestanding hybrid riser system includes a steel pipe riser having a bottom end anchored to a foundation on a seabed through a flexible joint and a diverless pipe connector. A tube is mounted to the foundation and connected to the diverless pipe connector for providing a static connection to a subsea pipeline on the seabed for a flow of fluid between the steel pipe and the subsea pipeline and through the flexible pipe joint and through the diverless pipe connector and through the tube. In a preferred implementation, the flexible pipe joint includes alternate elastomer layers and metal layers reinforcing the elastomer layers, and a receptacle of the diverless connector is mounted on a foundation such as a suction pile on the seabed, or a pile grouted in a bore in the seabed.