Russian PipeLayer Nears North Sea
Russia's Akademik Cherskiy pipelaying vessel, which Moscow has indicated could finish the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, is currently in the English Channel heading eastwards, ship-tracking data published by Vessel Finder and Marine Traffic show.
The Gazprom-owned ship left the Far East in mid-February and has since journeyed through southeast Asia, around Africa and into northern Europe, changing its stated destination several times along the way. It is now just 66 km away from the Strait of Dover, marking the start of the North Sea.
The 55bn m3/yr Nord Stream 2 had been due to start up before the end of 2019, but construction fell behind schedule because of Denmark's delay in issuing permits for its section, and the introduction of US sanctions against the project in December, which forced Swiss contractor Allseas to halt pipelaying work.
Only 6% of Nord Stream 2's offshore portion is left to be completed.
Russian energy minister Alexander Novak suggested in November that, in the event that international contractors were unable to finish the pipeline, the Akademik Cherskiy could be used instead.
Asked whether this was indeed the vessel's purpose, the Gazprom-owned Nord Stream 2 operating company told NGW that it was "actively looking for solutions" for completing the pipeline and would "inform about it in due time."
"All other works like the completion of landfalls and offshore works for stabilising the pipeline continue as planned," the operator said.
"We and the companies supporting our project are convinced that the soonest possible commissioning of the pipeline is in the interest of Europe's energy security, European consumers, EU economic competitiveness, and climate protection commitments. The threat of extraterritorial sanctions by the US is an unlawful discrimination against European companies working with Nord Stream 2."
Nord Stream 2 is now expected online in late 2020 or early 2021, Russian president Vladimir Putin said in January.
Ship-tracking data actually shows that Akademik Cherskiy's current destination is Nakhodka, the same Far Eastern port that it left in mid-February.