Nord Stream 2 says preparations for construction in Danish waters can go ahead | Reuters
▻https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nordstream-russia-denmark-idUKKBN29K0LG
FILE PHOTO: The Russian pipe-laying ship “Fortuna” is seen in the Mecklenburg Bay ahead of the resumption of Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline construction near Insel Poel, Germany January 14, 2021.
REUTERS/Annegret Hilse_
The Russia-led Nord Stream 2 (NS2) consortium on Friday said preparatory work to complete the subsea gas pipeline to Germany in Danish waters can go ahead, pointing to the latest notifications by the Danish Maritime Authority.
Denmark’s Nautiskinformation notified shippers on Thursday that prohibited areas near Bornholm would be established beginning on Friday for the pipe laying vessel Fortuna, assisted by construction and supply vessels.
Earlier, the German business daily Handelsblatt said the NS2 group, which is led by Russia’s Gazprom, was delaying the completion work, linking this to enhanced sanctions pressure from Washington aimed at halting the project.
A spokesman for the Switzerland-based group, who had referenced the Danish website, said he would not comment any further.
The consortium will probably be able to say at the end of January or in early February when work will resume, the Handelsblatt report had quoted the group as saying.
More than 90% of the project has been completed.
According to Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking data, the Fortuna was anchored near the German port of Rostock on Friday.
Construction of Nord Stream 2 was initially halted in December 2019 following the sanctions threat from the United States, which wants to cut Europe’s dependence on Russian energy and sell its own liquefied natural gas to the region.
