ONTRAS Gastransport GmbH has awarded contracts to two Salzgitter Group subsidiaries to supply line pipe for Germany’s expanding H2 core network, a project tied directly to low-carbon steel production.

Mannesmann Grossrohr GmbH (MGR) will supply pipe for 70.6 km (43.9 miles), while Mannesmann Line Pipe GmbH (MLP) will provide pipe for an additional 38.2 km (23.7 miles). In total, the companies will deliver pipe for approximately 108.8 km (67.6 miles) of H2 transmission infrastructure under the FGL 702 pipeline project.

The new H2 pipeline will run from Wefensleben to Salzgitter and extend from Angersdorf to Preußlitz. The project forms part of Germany’s planned H2 core network and is intended to support Salzgitter’s SALCOS® (Salzgitter Low CO₂ Steelmaking) transformation program, which aims to convert the company’s integrated steelworks to low-carbon production.

H2 is expected to play a central role in the production of so-called “green steel,” making the pipeline connection critical to the transition strategy.

“We are proud to be part of this important project and that H2 for SALCOS® will flow through line pipes from the Salzgitter Group,” stated Andreas Betzler, General Manager of the two Salzgitter companies. “The Salzgitter Group is not only a potentially major customer requiring H2 – providing its steel products means it also enables H2’s production and supply to customers.”

MGR will manufacture 813-mm (32-inch) diameter pipe. The pipe will feature a three-layer polyethylene external coating and an internal epoxy Flowcoat lining. Approximately 4.5 km (2.8 miles) of pipe will receive an additional glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) coating applied by TDC of Neubrandenburg. Each pipe section will measure 18 meters (59 feet) and weigh approximately 4.5 metric tons (about 5 U.S. tons). Deliveries are scheduled to begin in February 2027.

MLP will supply 610-mm (24-inch) diameter pipe, also in 18-meter (59-foot) lengths. These pipes will include a three-layer polyethylene coating and internal Flowcoat lining to reduce friction losses. About 6 km (3.7 miles) will include GRP coating.

FGL 702 is part of the Green Octopus Mitteldeutschland (GO) IPCEI project, a broader European initiative aimed at accelerating H2 infrastructure development.