Work has resumed on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which is to double the capacity of natural gas transported from Russia to Germany, a spokesman for the project said on Friday.

Construction of the Baltic Sea pipeline, which is reported to be more than 90% complete, was suspended last year after the United States imposed sanctions, a decision decried by both Germany and the European Union. Washington said the pipeline would threaten the EU's security by increasing the bloc's dependence on Russia.

Sanctions widened

Earlier this month, US lawmakers agreed to extend those sanctions on companies involved in Nord Stream 2, just as the Russian-led company behind the project vowed to restart construction.

The first sanctions bill in December 2019 prompted a halt to the project, specifically construction work on the Danish island of Bornholm, where two Swiss laying vessels ceased their work after pressure from the US.

Twelve months later, however, the Gazprom-led consortium behind Nord Stream 2 has now resumed construction work.

Opponents of the pipeline, including the US, Poland and Ukraine, say the it will give Russia an economic stranglehold over Germany, while the German government says it will create a direct and secure energy supply.

jsi/aw (dpa, Reuters)