Germany’s Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) has approved the construction of the 1,225-kilometer (761-mile) Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which will start from the Narva Bay on Russia’s border with Estonia and stretch to Lubmin in northeastern Germany.
However, the remaining four countries that are still to issue permits are Russia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Switzerland-based Nord Stream 2 AG said it expects the permits to be issued within the next few months.
The recent approval by Germany makes it the first country to have issued all the necessary permits for the pipeline to be built within its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone. BSH released a statement that the 30.6-kilometer (19-mile) stretch of the pipeline running through Germany’s territorial waters was “no danger to shipping or the environment.”
The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is estimated to supply around 55 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea.
There has been opposition for the pipeline. Poland, the Baltic states and Ukraine all oppose the project. According to other media outlets, many fear it could be used as a tool to boost Russian influence over the European Union. And the European Commission said last year it sees “no need” for Nord Stream 2, as it pursues energy security and diversity of gas supply across the 28-member bloc.
Earlier this month State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said during a news briefing, “As many people know, we oppose the Nord Stream 2 project, the U.S. government does.”
Construction will begin this year, as planned, Nord Stream 2 AG said.
