Laying vessel “Akademik Chersky”, the only domestic ship, able to finish the underwater section of the “Nord stream – 2” (SP-2), after a nearly three-month sea voyage, they reached the destination. The ship dropped anchor in the Harbor of the German town of Sassnitz, which is located near the quays of the German port of Mukran, where is the logistics terminal in the Russian pipeline. However, to proceed expeditiously to the final stage of laying the pipe, apparently will not work. First, experts believe that “Chersky” does not yet have the necessary equipment to lay the pipeline in the Baltic sea. Secondly, Europe has agreed on, not all permits for the project. Thirdly, getting started, the “academic plan” will fall under the U.S. sanctions, which are quite capable once again to shift the terms of commissioning of the long-awaited pipeline to supply Russian gas to the EU bypassing Ukraine.
According to the international control systems of movement of ships in the first week of may “Akademik Chersky”, rested a few days in the roadstead of Baltiysk, but never came into the port, completed the refueling, replenish supplies of food and water, and also had a partial change of crew.
to Do this “Academician” was forced, after almost three months of the RAID, during which the ship had to pass a difficult path from discovery to the Baltic sea. In February, the Swiss contractors of “Gazprom” with which agreements were concluded for the completion of the offshore sections of the SP-2, refused to lay the remaining few tens of kilometers of pipeline. Europeans feared us sanctions imposed on participants in the construction of the new Russian gas pipeline to the serious financial limitations. It was originally planned that “Chersky” comes to the Baltic about a month, but it was not so simple: the ship had to visit Singapore, and then pass by the coast of Africa. However, after almost three months travel “Chersky” stood up to the anchorage near the port of Mukran.
a Number of Russian experts were quick to conclude that filling the holds of fresh provisions and pick an efficient team of Russian pipelay in the near future will go to the completion of the remaining offshore section of the pipeline route, especially since an unfinished cut does not exceed 120 km: 70 km — from the first string and less than 50 km from the second branch pipe (from 1230 km route). However, as it turned out, on the way of creating a new Russian gas branches still have many pitfalls.
According to RusEnergy partner Mikhail Krutikhin, “Academician Chersky” not equipped with special technologyogimi for the laying of pipes required for SP-2 diameter. “The ship will have to stay for modernization to equip his own farm required capacity. In addition, European legal resolution, which can impose a ban on the construction of such projects because they are able to violate EU antitrust law. Finally, switching on “Chersky” to work on the completion of SP-2, questioning the Western, primarily American sanctions, which gets virtually any partner of Gazprom, agreed to help Russia in the completion of this pipeline. While any technological and legal prerequisites for the operational input of the SP-2 into operation is not observed” — the expert warns.
do I Need “the Plan” really technical re-equipment remains a intrigue. According to the expert of the national energy security Fund Igor Yushkov, at the beginning of this year it became known about the tender for the modernization of “Academician”. It is obvious that the ship was prepared for possible use in the framework of the project SP-2. However, the results of the tender is not known. That is, does this ship need a technological improvement is not clear. “It is not excluded that “the Left” will have to stand on the slipway to bring their performance up to the necessary level work. Mainly, it will be necessary to reconfigure the ship for laying pipes of a wider diameter, because so far in the domestic projects “Academic” specialized in smaller sizes,” explains Yushkov.
the Expert believes that really work at the end of the strip SP-2 “Academician” will start in June, because it is the most peaceful time of the year when such projects can be carried out in a stormy Baltic sea. Speed stacking “Chersky” is 2 km per hour. That is, to complete all work on the project of a ship for 3-4 months.
However, there are a number of technical aspects, the risk to slow down the laying of the pipeline. Dial on Board the necessary volumes of pipes is impossible. Storing them on ships, created for laying pipelines is not profitable and dangerous — future pipelines can be damaged, and possible overload in principle risky for any vessel.
“the gas Pipeline will be completed, but how will be operated – at full capacity or with a gradual increase in the throughput capacity (“Gazprom” may restrict 50% of deliveries in the SP-2, according to the antitrust laws of the EU) — this issue will likely be resolved at a political level. Russia is currently the main to proceed with the completion of the project. Only in this case, our country will be able to offer its Western partners new export finished ka��al supplies of hydrocarbons. Ready tube is the best argument in all political disputes,” — said Yushkov.
