The Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy has announced that it has granted Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) its Installation Permit for Greece. Together with the Installation Act, secured in January 2016, the Installation Permit allows the pipeline construction activities in Greece to start in line with the project schedule.

Ian Bradshaw, Managing Director at TAP, said: “Benefiting from exemplary collaboration with the Greek government and the competent authorities at all levels, our project execution continues to progress as expected. I am pleased to report that batches of line pipe for Greece continue to reach our marshalling yards in Thessaloniki and Kavala.”

About the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)

TAP will transport natural gas from the giant Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan to Europe. The approximately 878 km long pipeline will connect with the Trans Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) at the Turkish-Greek border at Kipoi, cross Greece and Albania and the Adriatic Sea, before coming ashore in Southern Italy.

TAP’s routing can facilitate gas supply to several South Eastern European countries, including Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and others. TAP’s landfall in Italy provides multiple opportunities for further transport of Caspian natural gas to some of the largest European markets such as Germany, France, the UK, Switzerland and Austria.

TAP will promote the economic development and job creation along the pipeline route; it will be a major source of foreign direct investment. With first gas sales to Georgia and Turkey targeted for late 2018, first deliveries to Europe will follow approximately in early 2020.

TAP’s shareholding is comprised of BP (20%), SOCAR (20%), Snam S.p.A (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).