Balticconnector gas pipeline restarted

After the Chinese container ship damaged in the fall of 2023, the BalticConnector gas pipeline was quickly and efficiently repaired, restoring gas supply between Finland and Estonia.

In October 2023, in the Gulf of Finland, a container ship Newnew Polar Bear flying the flag of Hong Kong caused damage to the Balticconnector pipeline. In the course of an investigation conducted by the Finnish authorities, an anchor was extracted from the seabed, which proved to be key evidence in the case.

The gas pipeline operator, Gasgrid, reported that on the first day (22 April) less than 1 million m3 of gas was transferred from Estonia and more than 6.5 million m3 from Finland after the resumption of the operation, approaching a maximum daily gas capacity of less than 7.5 m3.

Read more about this, whether the damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline and telecommunications cables has a common denominator

Balticconnector, launched in 2020 and financed mainly by EU funds, is a 153 km long gas pipeline that can send 7.2 million m3 of gas a day back and forth. This breakthrough project completed Finland's long-term isolation from the European gas market, which significantly strengthened energy security in the region.

At the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland reported that the Finnish authorities were cooperating with Chinese counterparts to explain the circumstances of the BalticConnector gas pipeline incident.

The investigation, which is currently being conducted by the Finnish authorities, is intended to determine whether the damage occurred as a result of intentional action or whether it was an accidental accident. Additionally, during this event there was also damage to the telecommunications cable that connects Estonia with Finland.

Source: Offshore Energy