Today, an agreement was signed between JSC TransContainer and Vyksunsky Metallurgical Plant OJSC (VMP, Nizhny Novgorod Region), which is part of the United Metallurgical Company CJSC (UMC). 
Under this agreement, OJSC TransContainer undertakes to arrange forwarding services related to the transportation of large diameter non-metallic coated steel pipes produced for the Nord Stream subsea gas pipeline.  Transportation will be carried out along the route Navashino of the Gorkovskaya railway – Kotka (Finland) on specialized flat cars of JSC TransContainer, model 13-9744.  For the period from May 2010 to April 2011 the volume of traffic will be 205 thousand tons.

In 2008-2009, pipes for the Nord Stream project were transported using gondola cars, which made it difficult to sling pipes during unloading, and besides, the cars were unloaded for a long time. In 2009, an experimental delivery of 620 tons of pipes was carried out on ten flat cars of JSC TransContainer. The flat cars were specially equipped for these purposes so that the high-tech coating of the pipes does not receive any damage during transportation. The shipment was received by the French company EUPEC, which is leading the laying of the Nord Stream gas pipeline. Representatives of the company confirmed the suitability of the flat cars for these transportations, the ability to unload mechanically without involving people, as well as the perfect safety of the pipes.

“For UMC, this is the first contract with OJSC TransContainer, and we hope that this experience will be successful and will usher in a long and mutually beneficial cooperation,” said President of UMC Vladimir Markin. “During the pilot shipments, the company ensured route cargo transportation and demonstrated a high degree of safety.”