In the frozen waters of the Earth's poles, icebreakers tow giant drilling platforms, cutting through the waves, while floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) units remain as stable as rocks amidst raging winds and towering waves. Behind these feats of humankind challenging extreme cold environments lies a key technology—extreme cold anchor chains. As the "lifeline" connecting marine engineering equipment to the seabed, extreme cold anchor chains are writing a legend of Chinese manufacturing, from catching up to leading, in extreme environments of -40°C and even -60°C. 

I. The Evolution of Extreme Cold Anchor Chains: From Survival Needs to Technological Revolution 

1. Early Exploration: The Birth of the Arctic Shipping Route 

In the late 19th century, with the surge in demand for the development of the Arctic shipping route, traditional anchor chains frequently experienced brittle fractures in environments below -30°C. In 1905, Norwegian engineers first added nickel to anchor chain steel, developing the first-generation extreme cold anchor chain with a 40% improvement in low-temperature resistance; however, its high cost limited its application.

2. Technological Breakthrough: A Milestone in Materials Science

In the mid-20th century, Soviet scientists discovered the phase transformation toughening effect of manganese (Mn) under low-temperature conditions. In 1962, the Soviet nuclear-powered icebreaker "Arktika" was the first to be equipped with manganese-based extreme cold anchor chains, completing a scientific expedition to the Arctic Ocean at -52°C, marking the entry of extreme cold anchor chains into the engineering application stage.

3. China's Rise: From Introduction to Surpassing

In 2003, a Chinese company broke the international monopoly and successfully developed an R3-class mooring chain, achieving an impact energy of 47J at -40°C (international standard ≥34J). In 2017, the ISO 20438 international standard, spearheaded by this company, was released, officially ushering in the "Chinese standard era" for global extreme cold anchor chain production. 

II. Market Demand: Dual Drivers of Polar Development and Deep-Sea Engineering 

1. Polar Resource Development

With global warming, the navigability time of the Arctic shipping route has extended to 210 days per year. The demand for -60°C anchor chains has surged due to mega-projects such as Russia's Yamal LNG project and Norway's Johan Sverdrup oil field. According to Det Norske Veritas (DNV), 120 new offshore platforms are expected to be added to the Arctic Ocean between 2025 and 2035, driving the extreme cold anchor chain market to over $3 billion.

2. Deep-Sea Engineering Revolution: Deep-sea projects such as the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil's pre-salt oil fields require anchor chains to maintain a service life of over 20 years in -40°C seawater environments. The R4-grade anchor chains used in China's "Deep Sea One" energy station are 3,000 meters long and can withstand the impact of a category 15 typhoon.

3. New Energy Sector: Floating offshore wind farms place new demands on anchor chains: they must be adaptable to -40°C frigid waters and withstand 20 years of dynamic loads. European floating wind power plans will drive an annual demand of 100,000 tons of extreme cold anchor chains. 

III. International Standards System: Global Recognition of the Chinese Solution 

1. ISO 20438 Core Indicators

Temperature Rating: Clearly defines three certification levels: -20℃ (R2), -40℃ (R3), and -60℃ (R4)

Mechanical Properties:

R3 Level: Impact energy ≥47J at -40℃ (38% improvement over the old standard)

R4 Level: Impact energy ≥34J at -60℃ (New extreme environment certification)

Fatigue Life: Passes 2 million cycle load tests (equivalent to a 20-year service life)

2. Chinese Standard Innovation

The GB/T 34205-2017 standard, led by China, introduced the "low-temperature toughness attenuation coefficient" indicator for the first time, requiring anchor chains to maintain more than 85% of their initial performance after 5 years of service. This indicator has been adopted by the European Union. 

IV. Technological Showdown: R3 vs R4 Performance Decoded 

Typical Cases: 

R3 Class: The 27.5m standard anchor chain used in Russia's Yamal Exploration Project withstood a tensile force of 1,200 tons in an environment of -42℃, and remained crack-free for 5 years of continuous service.

R4 Class: The custom-designed anchor chain equipped on China's "Xuelong 2" research vessel completed icebreaking operations in Antarctic waters at -58℃, with a low-temperature toughness attenuation rate of only 12%. 

V. Material Revolution: From M20Mn to Customized Formulas 

1. Evolution of Basic Formula 

First-generation product: C 0.16-0.25%, Mn 1.00-1.60%, Si 0.15-0.40%

Modern formula: Added Ni 0.5-1.2%, Cr 0.3-0.8%, Mo 0.15-0.30%, forming a low-temperature phase transformation strengthening layer.

2. Customized Solutions

Ultra-low Temperature Type:Through micro-alloying technology, 0.05% niobium (Nb) is added to R4, achieving an impact energy of 27J even at -80℃.

Corrosion-resistant Type:Utilizing duplex stainless steel as the base material, extending service life by 3 times in sulfur-containing sea areas.

Lightweight Type:Through topology optimization design, weight is reduced by 15% while maintaining strength.

VI. Bulk Supply of U3-40℃ Anchor Chains to Russia 

In 2025, a Russian client requested customized U3-40℃ anchor chains for their Arctic project. Through research and development at our technology center, laboratory low-temperature simulation and mechanical testing data, and collaboration with domestic steel technology experts, we finally met all the client's requirements, securing their largest annual order.

This order marks China's entry into a new stage of "customization, intelligence, and systematization" for extreme cold anchor chain technology. 

Conclusion: China's Temperature in Extreme Cold

From Arctic research stations to deep-sea drilling platforms, from icebreakers to floating wind turbines, China's extreme cold anchor chains are redefining industry boundaries with cutting-edge technology. As the global industrial chain seeks reliable support in extreme environments, the Chinese solution has achieved a leap from follower to leader in just 20 years. This is not only a victory for materials, but also a milestone in the transformation of "Made in China" to "Created in China." If you have custom requirements for cryogenic anchor chains, please contact us.