The progress of the project for the construction of Ionian-Adriatic (IAP) gas pipeline was slowed by the pandemic, according to the Montenegrin Ministry of Economy.
The Ministry said that the comments received during the public debate of the environment impact assessment study are currently processed by the author of the study. However, the situation with the pandemic has negatively affected the implementation of these activities. Last year, Montenegro Bonus, Albanian Albgaz, Bosnian BH-Gas and Croatia Plinacro agreed the establishment of a joint venture for the purpose of the construction of the pipeline, in which all four companies will hold equal stakes. It is planned to compete the preliminary design of Ionian-Adriatic (IAP) gas pipeline by September 2020.
The project of Ionian-Adriatic gas pipeline (IAP), which represents the link between the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) project and existing Croatian gas transport system, will enable stable natural gas supply of Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and other neighboring countries. Capacity of the future pipeline will be 5 billion cubic meters of gas per year, its total length will be 530 kilometers, of which 250 will be in Croatia. Total cost of the project is estimated at 620 million euros. In August 2016, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the representatives of State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on a project for the constriction of IAP.
