Alcoa, United Shipbuilding Corp. Sign MoU to Boost Aluminum Use in Russian Ship Building

Alcoa and United Shipbuilding Corp. (USC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding that aims to develop the Russian shipbuilding market, while increasing the use of aluminum in new construction.

“We are very glad to start full scale cooperation with the USC, the corporation uniting practically all the main Russian assets in shipbuilding at present, which jointly account for more than 65 percent of the products manufactured in the Russian ship building sector, says Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa’s chairman.

“New technologies and advancements are making aluminum an increasingly popular choice for ships of all sizes throughout the world,” Kleinfeld adds. “I’m absolutely convinced that the potential for the usage of aluminum is very high in the shipbuilding industry, and especially in Russian shipbuilding.”

“We appreciate the interest of such a major partner as Alcoa to the Russian shipbuilding industry modernization projects. We hope that our joint efforts will bring real results in a fairly short term,” says Roman Trotsenko, president of USC.

During preliminary consultations the parties defined potential areas for cooperation, including the technical and commercial aspects of growing the Russian market.

At the present time, Alcoa operates two aluminum fabricating facilities in Russia. Since acquiring the plants, the company has investing more than $750 million in upgrades. Alcoa recently completed a new end and tab line to complement its can sheet capabilities in Russia to serve the growing packaging market there.

JSC “United Shipbuilding Corporation” is the biggest holder of shipbuilding, ship repairing and engineering assets in the Russian industry.