AH36 Shipbuilding Steel Plate

🔍 Quick Specs Summary: AH36 Steel Plate

  • Grade & Strength: AH36, 36 Class High Strength Steel
  • Yield Strength (ReH): ≥ 355 MPa
  • Impact Toughness: Tested at 0°C (32°F)
  • Key Property: Good Weldability and Formability
  • Primary Use: Hull structures, decks, bulkheads of commercial vessels.
  • Service Environment: General marine service, non-Arctic offshore.
  • Approvals: Compliant with ABS, BV, CCS, DNV, LR, NK, etc.
  • Delivery Condition: Normalized (N) or TMCP

AH36 shipbuilding steel plate is a high-strength hull structural steel widely used in commercial shipbuilding and offshore marine structures. It is designed for normal marine service conditions, offering stable mechanical performance, good weldability, and certified low-temperature toughness.

1. AH36 Product Definition and Classification

AH36 belongs to the 36 Class high-strength hull structural steel family with a minimum yield strength of 355 MPa. The prefix A indicates impact testing at 0°C in accordance with classification society rules. The letter H indicates the steel grade used in marine engineering.

Applicable Classification Societies

  • ABS – American Bureau of Shipping (United States)
  • BV – Bureau Veritas (France)
  • CCS – China Classification Society (China)
  • DNV – Det Norske Veritas (Norway)
  • IRS – Indian Register of Shipping (India)
  • KR – Korean Register (South Korea)
  • LR – Lloyd’s Register (United Kingdom)
  • NK – ClassNK (Japan)
  • RINA – Registro Italiano Navale (Italy)

Note: Classification societies are listed in alphabetical order by abbreviation for neutral technical reference.

2. Key Advantages of AH36 Steel Plate

⚓ Standard Marine Strength 🧱 High Yield Strength ❄️ Low-Temperature Toughness 🔧 Good Weldability
Designed to meet the structural requirements of conventional ship hulls and marine structures. Provides a minimum yield strength of 355 MPa for reliable load-bearing performance. Maintains stable impact toughness at 0°C under classification society requirements. Well suited for shipyard welding, cutting, and fabrication processes.

3. Typical Applications

Ship hull structures of commercial vessels (bulk carriers, container ships, tankers).

Decks and bulkheads in marine engineering.

Offshore platforms and other marine structural components for general service environments.

4. Chemical Composition & Mechanical Properties

Chemical Composition (Typical, %)

C Si Mn P S Al
≤0.18 ≤0.50 0.90 – 1.60 ≤0.035 ≤0.035 ≥0.015

* Typical values according to classification society specifications. Actual limits may vary by approval.

Mechanical Properties

Thickness (mm) Yield Strength (MPa) Tensile Strength (MPa) Elongation (%) Impact Test Temperature
≤50 ≥355 490 – 620 ≥21 0°C

5. Available Sizes & Supply Condition

Thickness: 6 – 150 mm

Width: up to 5,300 mm

Length: up to 18,000 mm

Delivery condition: Normalized (N) / Thermo-Mechanical Control Processed (TMCP)

6. Inspection, Quality Control & Certification

Inspection & Quality Control

  • Chemical composition analysis
  • Tensile and elongation testing
  • Charpy V-notch impact testing
  • Ultrasonic testing (UT)
  • Third-party inspection available upon request

Certification

Each shipment of AH36 steel plate is supplied with EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate and corresponding classification society approval.

7. Steel Grade Selection Guide (36 Class Series)

Steel Grade Impact Test Temperature Typical Application
AH36 0°C Standard ship hull structures
DH36 -20°C Cold marine environments
EH36 -40°C Low-temperature offshore structures
FH36 -60°C Extreme cold region applications

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What is AH36 steel plate used for?

AH36 is mainly used for ship hull structures, decks, bulkheads, and offshore marine components.

2. What is the impact test temperature for AH36 steel plate?

AH36 is impact tested at 0°C in accordance with classification society rules.

3. Is third-party inspection available for AH36 steel plate?

Yes. Third-party inspections such as SGS, BV, and TUV can be arranged upon request.

4. What certificates are supplied with AH36 steel plate?

Classification society approval and EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates are supplied.

5. Can you provide services for customizing AH36 steel plates according to specified dimensions and classification societies and require third-party certification?

No problem. Customized service is our advantage. The classification society can also be carried out according to your designated one, and can provide EN 10204 3.2 certificate.
By the way, for the relevant issues you may be concerned about, we do not have a mandatory requirement for the minimum order quantity of shipbuilding steel plates between 10-50mm, and we can basically provide them according to the quantity you need. Delivery time: about 20 days for hot-rolled ones, and about 35-55 days for normalized ones.

6. What is your company's current inventory of various types of ship plates?

We maintain a monthly inventory of around 1000-2000 tons. For us, the spot business of ship plates can be considered retail. Most shipyard purchase orders are only for hull repairs. The inventory we maintain is the portion exceeding customer orders; it's not something we actively order from steel mills (for example, if the order quantity for 20*2200*13500 steel plates is 10 sheets, but the steel mill requires a minimum order of 12 sheets, we bring the remaining 2 sheets back to our warehouse as inventory).

Request Technical Support for AH36 Steel Plate

We supply classification-approved AH36 shipbuilding steel plate with full traceability, flexible inspection options, and coordinated delivery support.

  • ✔ Approved by 9 major classification societies
  • ✔ EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate
  • ✔ Support third-party inspection reports (SGS, BV, TUV, etc.)
  • ✔ Custom dimensions and inspection coordination

Get Price & Lead Time    Request Technical Datasheet

Request Technical Support for AH36 Steel Plate

We supply classification-approved AH36 shipbuilding steel plate with full traceability, flexible inspection options, and coordinated delivery support.

  • ✔ Approved by 9 major classification societies
  • ✔ EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificate
  • ✔ Support third-party inspection reports (SGS, BV, TUV, etc.)
  • ✔ Custom dimensions and inspection coordination

Get Price & Lead Time    Request Technical Datasheet

Frequently Asked Questions

AH36 is mainly used for ship hull structures, decks, bulkheads, and offshore marine components in commercial vessels like bulk carriers, container ships, and tankers.

The key difference lies in strength and application. Ordinary A-grade ship plate has a yield strength of 235 MPa, while AH36 is a high-strength steel with a yield strength ≥355 MPa. AH36 offers better load-bearing capacity with potential weight savings, making it suitable for larger vessels and critical structures, whereas A-grade is for general small to medium-sized ship hulls.

AH36 is impact tested at 0°C in accordance with classification society requirements for general marine service conditions.

We provide classification society approval and EN 10204 3.1 mill test certificates along with classification society approval certificates for each shipment.

Yes. Third-party inspections such as SGS, Bureau Veritas, TUV, or Lloyd's Register can be arranged upon customer request.

No problem. Customized service is our advantage. We specialize in customized solutions and can supply AH36 plates according to your specified dimensions, thicknesses, and classification society requirements. The classification society can be carried out according to your designated one, and we can provide EN 10204 3.2 certificate upon request.

By the way, for the relevant issues you may be concerned about, we do not have a mandatory requirement for the minimum order quantity of shipbuilding steel plates between 10-50mm, and we can basically provide them according to the quantity you need. Delivery time: about 20 days for hot-rolled ones, and about 35-55 days for normalized ones.

The price of AH36 steel plate fluctuates based on raw material costs, thickness, dimensions, purchase volume, and market conditions. For the most accurate and competitive real-time quotation, please contact our sales team with your specific requirements (grade, size, quantity, destination port, and any special certifications needed). We provide competitive pricing and typically respond within 24 hours.

We maintain a monthly inventory of around 1000-2000 tons. For us, the spot business of ship plates can be considered retail. Most shipyard purchase orders are only for hull repairs. The inventory we maintain is the portion exceeding customer orders; it's not something we actively order from steel mills (for example, if the order quantity for 20*2200*13500 steel plates is 10 sheets, but the steel mill requires a minimum order of 12 sheets, we bring the remaining 2 sheets back to our warehouse as inventory).