Austrian steel giant receives large order from Russia

The Austrian group Voestalpine will provide several hundred thousand tons of special plates for the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. This is the largest order the Group has received in its history. The exact figures for the volume of orders have not yet been published.

Nord Stream 2 comprises a total of 1,200 km of pipeline, which will transport natural gas from Siberia through the Baltic Sea for transportation to Germany. Voestalpine already in 2008 and 2010 supplied 170,000 tons of products for the first part of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline. “Given the current highly competitive market environment for oil and gas investments, this major contract is extremely encouraging. And once again proves that Voestalpine is considered a reliable partner for technologically complex pipeline projects with the highest quality standards, ”says Voestalpine's head of steel, Herbert Eibensteiner, in the release.

Russian energy giant Gazprom agreed in September with European partners that the existing Nord Stream pipeline, which supplies gas from Russia across the Baltic Sea to Germany, should be expanded. During the construction of the pipeline, Ukraine and Poland will be bypassed. Moscow fears that these countries' dependence on the United States could lead to supply bottlenecks. Russia wants customers in Western Europe to survive despite geopolitical tensions.

Some European politicians believe that Nord Stream 2 is undermining the targets agreed by European energy policy. "We want to reduce our dependence on Russia in the energy issue, and Nord Stream 2 contradicts this goal." However, the European Commission has already announced its intention to study the project.