In May 2019, the AsstrA corporate group launched a multimodal LNG (Argon) transportation project using modernized tank containers.
According to the three-year agreement, AsstrA specialists are transporting 9,000 LNG cylinders. The gas is necessary for the construction of Russia's largest natural gas processing plant in the Amur region.
The loaded LNG tank containers are sent by rail to Svobodny in the Amur region of Russia. Specialized vehicles deliver the cylinders to the gas processing plant itself.
Seven tank containers are used in the project’s transportation scheme. The fleet is equipped with cooling equipment, pressure gauges, and valves that can normalize the pressure inside the tank in a matter of seconds.
According to the current Russian GOST 19433-88 Dangerous Goods Classification, argon is a class 2 dangerous substance. Shipping this cargo within Russia is highly time-consuming. As part of this transportation project, AsstrA handles the registration of all dangerous goods shipping permits.
"This is a unique project. Despite all the subtleties and nuances involved with the transportation of dangerous goods by rail, the launch of this project was successful. We are organizing round trips for tank containers to meet the customer's requirement to have empty equipment ready for the next load," sums up Andrey Sulla, Deputy COO for Rail Freight Transportation at AsstrA.