Sweden says No to Nord Stream 2 pipeline

Baku. 16 December. REPORT.AZ/ Nord Stream 2 pipeline project that will carry Russian gas to the EU through the Baltic Sea, has hit a stumbling block.

Report informs citing foreign media, the authorities of the Swedish Region Gotland and the municipality Karlshamn have decided not to sign an agreement for the utilization of their respective harbours - Slite and Karlshamn for the storage of the piping for the project, citing "security situation".

According to Nord Stream 2, a Swiss-incorporated company managing the project, both ports had until very recently signaled their commercial interest in cooperating on the project.

However, local representatives this week had a meeting with Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Defense to discuss the matter, after which they’ve changed their stance.

The company said that the consequence of the decision would be that Wasco Coatings GmbH, a company supplying pipes for the project, would not be able to sign contracts for the use of these harbours for pipe transshipments.

If both Swedish municipalities take a formal decision preventing the use of the harbours, Nord Stream 2 and its contractor Wasco Coatings, will look for alternative logistics facilities around the Baltic Sea, the company said.

Notably, the Nord Stream 2 shareholders are Gazprom, the German companies E.ON SE and BASF SE/Wintershall Holding GmbH, the Anglo-Dutch Royal Dutch Shell plc, the Austrian OMV AG and the French ENGIE S.A.