Norwegian Company Refuses to Certify Nord Stream 2

Norwegian company Det Norske Veritas (DNV) GL, which was supposed to certify Russia’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, refused to provide this service.

According to Russian media reports citing the company’s statement, the reason for this step is the threat of imposing new U.S. sanctions on the Norwegian company which arose after the recent adoption of the relevant law by the Congress.

“DNV GL will suspend all inspections of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline system in accordance with the sanctions and as long as these sanctions remain in force. We are rolling back a project support plan,” the statement reads.

According to experts, the pipeline will not be able to start operating, even if it is completed, without this certification. In addition, the Norwegian company is a partner of the existing Nord Stream gas pipeline, which it has been certifying annually since 2012, so now questions arise on its further operation.

As a reminder, in November last year, DNV GL stated that it would not be able to provide testing and inspection services for equipment used by pipe-laying vessels due to the threat of expanding U.S. sanctions, although it had not refused to certify the project at that time.

On 1 January, the U.S. Congress overrode President Donald Trump’s veto of the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), which included expanded sanctions on Nord Stream 2, and thus the document came into force.

Bohdan Marusyak