Germany approves Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline

Germany’s maritime authority on Tuesday approved the project, making Germany the first country to have issued all the necessary permits for the pipeline to be built within its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone, Poland’s PAP news agency has reported.

According to Mariusz Staniszewski, deputy CEO of public broadcaster Polish Radio, the German maritime authority’s decision greenlighting the project does not necessarily mean that the contested pipeline will be built.

Speaking on public television on Tuesday, Staniszewski said that other countries along the route of the planned undersea gas pipeline, among them Denmark, have yet to approve the project.

Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) said in a statement on Tuesday that it had approved the construction of a 31-kilometre stretch of the pipeline running through Germany’s territorial waters since it posed “no danger to shipping or the environment.”

The German maritime authority also said it expected that other four countries along the route of the undersea gas pipeline – Russia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark – would issue permits in the coming months, the Reuters news agency reported.

According to Poland’s PAP news agency, work to build the Russia-Germany gas link within the German zone is scheduled to begin in May.

If built, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline would supply around 55 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea, circumventing Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine.

Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine all oppose the project.

The US State Department spokeswoman said earlier this month that the US government opposed Nord Stream 2 as the project would undermine Europe’s energy security and stability.

Heather Nauert said at a department press briefing that companies engaged in the construction and financing of the pipeline “could expose themselves to sanctions” under US law.

(gs/pk)

Source: PAP/IAR, Reuters