Undeterred by the threat of punitive sanctions if work on Nord Stream 2 resumes, the construction of the last hundred plus meters of the gas pipeline on the seabed of the Baltic picked up again after a one year hiatus.

Swiss-Dutch company Allseas suspended the laying of pipes in December 2019 following the clamor of various Washington senators for sanctions, leaving Russia to utilize its own resources to construct the 1,230 kilometre (km) pipeline, which is designed to double the 55 billion cubic meter annual gas capacity of the existing Nord Stream pipeline.

Nord Stream AG said in a press release that "the pipe laying vessel Fortuna [sailing under the Russian flag] will lay a 2.6 km section of the pipeline in the German Exclusive Economic Zone in water depths of less than 30 m (100ft)."

The company added that all construction works would be implemented in full compliance with existing permits and it would provide information about further offshore construction activities in due course.

The consortium, led by Russian gas giant Gazprom, has still to lay more than 100-km of pipeline, although more than 90% of the project has been completed.

Washington's official rationale for opposing the project is that it would threaten the EU's security by increasing the bloc's dependence on Russia.