Baku, April 8, AZERTAC

Italian Minister of Economic Development Carlo Calenda has said the Trans Adriatic Pipeline is of strategic significance to his country. He said the construction of the pipeline will continue. Calenda said the selection of TAP will contribute to ensuring security of supplies, diversifying gas sources, increasing the number of competing suppliers on the Italian and European markets.

Last month the Italian Council of State greenlit TAP, rejecting appeals from the Puglia regional government, according to ANSA agency. The Council of State ruled that the TAP project had provided sufficient details on the environmental impact of the project.

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 reaching Southern Italy. TAP will be 878 kilometres in length (Greece 550 km; Albania 215 km; Adriatic Sea 105 km; Italy 8 km). Its highest point will be 1,800 metres in Albania's mountains, while its lowest will be 820 metres beneath the sea.

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%), Southern Gas Corridor CJSC (20%), Snam (20%), Fluxys (19%), Enagás (16%) and Axpo (5%).