pipeline
State Ministry: Maintenance of Nord Stream 2 not at risk
According to a representative of the authorities, the operator of the Russian pipeline Nord Stream 2, based in the Swiss canton of Zug, is on the brink of collapse. Photo: Philipp Schmidli/KEYSTONE/dpa
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First the approval process that was put on hold, then the sanctions: the company behind the controversial pipeline is struggling with bankruptcy. German authorities do not see the maintenance at risk.
The Ministry of Economics in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania does not see the maintenance of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as at risk even in the event of the operating company becoming insolvent.
In Germany’s exclusive economic zone, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) is responsible, and the mining authority in Stralsund is responsible for the landing station in Lubmin and the pipeline within the 12-mile zone, the ministry announced on Friday in Schwerin.
According to the information, the mining authority assumes that the German-Russian pipeline is safe and that no measures need to be ordered. At the time of completion at the end of 2021, there were current test certificates from independent experts attesting to the tightness and strength of the line.
According to the State Ministry of Economics, the practical maintenance of the landing station in Lubmin near Greifswald is also carried out by Gascade GmbH from Kassel, the company that operates the German natural gas pipeline, which begins in Lubmin. As the company announced on request, they are in permanent contact with Nord Stream 2 AG. “Regardless of the currently unclear overall situation, Gascade, as the operator, ensures the operationally safe condition of the pig receiving station,” it said.
The “Handelsblatt” had reported with reference to insiders that Nord Stream AG, based in the Swiss canton of Zug, had had to stop remote maintenance of the pipeline. According to the report, the service provider required for this was forced to terminate the relevant contracts because of the sanctions imposed on Russia. Nord Stream 2 did not comment on request. The Russian group Gazprom is the majority behind the company.