The German shipping authorities have issued an advisory for the Baltic Sea area where the final few kilometres of the controversial Russian pipeline are set to be laid. All vessels were recommended to avoid the zone from December 5-31.
Germany set to finish the NordStream 2 pipeline despite the critics from Washington. A pipeline will bring Russian gas to Germany, and the remarks of the US won’t stop the process. “Now is the time for Germany and the EU to impose a moratorium on the construction of the pipeline,” acting ambassador Robin Quinville told the local Handelsblatt on Saturday.
Over the years, the Trump office has openly criticised European countries for their reliance on energy from Russia. Commenting on the news on Nord Stream 2, the American diplomat added that would send a signal to Russia that Europe was not willing to accept “its ongoing malicious behaviour”.
A Nord Stream 2 pipeline remains one of the ambitious projects of the century, its cost EUR 10 billion allowed it run beneath the Baltic Sea. The pipeline is set to double Russian natural-gas shipments to Germany.
Work has been suspended for nearly a year because of US sanctions signed off by Trump in late 2019 that threaten asset freezes and visa restrictions for companies involved in the construction work.
As well as Russian giant Gazprom, which has a majority stake, the international consortium involved in the project includes European players such as Germany’s Wintershall and Uniper groups, the Dutch-British giant Shell, France’s Engie and Austria’s OMV.
In September when asked if the poisoning could affect Nordstream 2, Merkel’s spokesman replied: “The chancellor believes it would be wrong to rule anything out from the start.”
A Nordtream 1 pipeline, which runs along a similar route to Nordstream 2, was inaugurated in 2011.
