The civil division of Motovilikha Plants, managed by RT-Capital of Rostec State Corporation, has mastered the manufacturing of cold-resistant shipbuilding steel. The material is used in the construction of military vessels and icebreakers. By the end of 2021, the production output will reach about 200 tons and satisfy 25% of the domestic demand.
Heavy-duty shipbuilding steel of the AB2-PK grade is used in the production of corvette and frigate warships, as well as universal nuclear-powered icebreakers. The material will be used to manufacture heavy-duty welded structures such as beams, supports, slabs, and load-bearing frame elements.
"Today, we have a high demand for cold-resistant steels in Russia, which are used in the construction of Arctic zone ships and vessels. The demand for AB2-PK steel exceeds 700 tons a year. The production of this steel at Motovilikha will allow for the domestic shipbuilding industry to be less dependent on imported counterparts. Entering this market is part of a program to get the enterprise out of bankruptcy proceedings and create a center for the manufacturing of innovative steels demanded by leading sectors of the economy. In the medium term, we expect to take 50% of the shipbuilding steel market and enter into industrial cooperation with shipbuilding companies," said Semyon Yakubov, the RT-Capital CEO.
The main consumers of the product are the shipyards of St. Petersburg. The first batch of 120 tons of forgings has already been shipped to the customer.
"Special and very strict requirements are specified for the steel which will be used in the circumpolar areas of the globe. Laboratory tests have shown that our steel is highly durable and ductile, and retains high performance values at temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius," said Sergey Dyadkin, director of MGM.
Previously, the civil division of Motovilikha Plants, with the support of Rostec, was the first in Russia to master the production of low-alloy steel grades for oil and gas production in the Arctic climate. It also developed a technology for forging long non-magnetic billets for the energy and oil production sector.
