OMK starts dispatching pipes for link 2 of North Stream Gas Pipeline

Vyksa Steel Works (VSW, Nizhni Novgorod Region), part of United Metallurgical Company (OMK), has dis-patched its first 3.5 thousand tonnes of large-diameter pipes for the construction of the second link of the North Stream gas pipeline, which will connect Russian and Germany via the Baltic Sea bed. A ceremony for dispatch-ing 54 TransContainer-made specialized flatcars with VSW pipes was held at the Vyksa-Promyshlennaya rail-road station, Nizhni Novgorod Region.

Signed by TransContainer and VSW on March 24, 2010, the Forwarding Service Agreement specifies that pipes for the construction of the second link of the North Stream gas pipeline are supposed to be transported from Na-vashino (Gorky Railroad) to Kotka, Finland. The trains will follow a designated train path approved by Russian Railways without stopping at any rail yards. Under the project, TransContainer is willing to engage 388 cars a month from June to October and 94–162 cars a month in other months. Specialized flatcars 13-9744 will be used to transport VSW pipes.

“Today we started dispatching pipes for the construction of the second link of the North Stream gas pipeline,” emphasized VSW Chief Engineer Dmitry Rastunin. “Participating in this demanding project, OMK promotes its innovative high-technology products in the international market. Owing to our effective cooperation, we all—steel and rail experts—make a great contribution to the development of the Russian economy.”

Thanks to the contract with OMK, according to the TransContainer management, the company secured a large long-term order. “Our cooperation started last year, when TransContainer conducted experimental transportation operations. We coped with that responsible mission,” said TransContainer Director for Equipment Operation Sergey Tebenkov. “From then on, Russian Railways and TransContainer in cooperation with OMK and VSW made great efforts to prepare and dispatch pipes for the second link of the Nord Stream pipeline.”

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Head of the Gorky Railroad Directorate for Traffic Control I. P. Kulikov, Head of the Gorky Railroad Murom Department D. A. Sadovnikov, TransContainer Director for Equipment Op-eration S. A. Tebenkov, Director of TransContainer Affiliate for Gorky Railroad A. G. Karinsky, VSW Chief Engineer D. V. Rastunin, VSW Director for Transportation Logistics K. A. Kaddo, and others.

Let us remind that OMK was selected as the preferred bidder for the Nord Stream project in January 2010. VSW accounts for 25% of the contract value. The remaining part is shared by Germany's Europipe (65) and Japan's Sumitomo (10%). During May 2010–April 2011, VSW will ship more than 200 thousand tonnes of pipes of 1,220 mm in diameter having wall thickness of 34.6 mm and three-layer external corrosion-resistant coating and internal friction-reducing coating.