The
Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) AG today marked the start of pipeline
construction in Albania.The occasion was marked by an inauguration
ceremony near the town of Fier, attended by the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi
Rama, Minister of Energy and Industry, Damian Gjiknuri, and TAP Managing
Director, Ian Bradshaw.
Speaking to an audience that included representatives of the local authorities
and other key stakeholders, Prime Minister Rama and Energy Minister Gjiknuri
emphasised the importance of the project to Albania. As one of the largest
foreign investments in the country, TAP will have a positive impact on the
country’s energy sector and will help encourage other foreign investments, they
said.
TAP Managing Director
Ian Bradshaw said: "I am delighted to be standing here today.
TAP has made huge progress over these last few years and the evidence is what
you see here today: steel pipes on the ground, heavy machinery in the
background, right of way being cleared and trenches dug waiting for pipe to be
laid. All this, with many hundreds of thousands of safe hours worked.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Albanian Government, in
particular the Ministry of Energy and Industry for its unwavering support of
our project and our strong cooperation, which has led to TAP’s realisation and
delivery of this project.”
In Albania, TAP’s construction progress to date includes:
- 23km of Right of Way (RoW) cleared
- 12km pipe strung
- 8km of pipe welded
- 56% of pipes delivered – Line pipes & bends continue to arrive in Durrës (since April 2016)
- Over 94% of access roads & bridges (combined progress) are complete; approx. 90% of the workforce from Albania
