The “Fortuna” gas pipeline-laying ship began to complete the “Nord Stream 2” project in German waters, which aims to connect Russia and Germany with two gas pipelines across the bottom of the Baltic Sea.

According to the statement of the “Nord Stream 2” company responsible for the strategic gas project and published by the Russian news agencies “TASS” and “Novosti”, the “Fortuna” ship will begin extending two gas pipelines from the Russian coast, across the bottom of the Baltic Sea, to Germany with a depth of up to 30 meters and parallel to Nord Stream Pipeline 1, with a total capacity of 55 billion cubic meters annually.

The cost of the project is 8 billion euros, and the total length of the “Nord Stream 2” pipeline is about 1,220 km, and 347 km of it will pass through Finnish territorial waters. Several international companies participate in the project, led by “Gazprom”, which owns a 50% stake in the project, while the remaining share is shared by a consortium made up of 5 European energy companies at 10% each. The project obtained all necessary operating permits from the countries whose territorial waters surround the pipeline route

It is worth noting that the Russian project receives support from countries like Germany and Switzerland, but it is opposed by some other countries especially Ukraine which fears losing revenues from the passage of Russian gas through its territory, as well as the United States, which seeks to market its LNG in Europe at a relatively high price. Therefore, pressures come from the possibility of imposing sanctions from the United States on companies participating in the project.