MOSCOW, October 6. /TASS/. The Audacia ship operated by the Allseas company has started work on laying pipes at the German section of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline alongside the Castoro Dieci (C10) vessel, the Nord Stream 2 AG operator said.

"Audacia started its installation works at the end of the 30-kilometres-long trench of the twin pipeline, located in German territorial waters. She will be laying pipes for approximately 38 kilometers in a deeper water section of the route. Once Audacia completes the first line, it will then return to starting point to continue laying the second line, completing its works in Germany by the end of 2018," the company said.

All the work on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Germany’s territorial waters is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

The Nord Stream 2 project includes construction of two gas pipeline lines with a total capacity of 55 bln cubic meters of gas per year from the coast of Russia through the Baltic Sea to Germany. The cost of construction is estimated at 9.5 bln euro, the launch of the pipeline is expected before the end of 2019.

The pipeline will bypass transit countries - Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and other Eastern European and Baltic countries - through the exclusive economic zones and territorial waters of five countries - Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

The operator of the gas pipeline construction project is Nord Stream 2 AG company, with the sole shareholder Gazprom. Gazprom partners - German Wintershall and Uniper, Austrian OMV, French Engie and Royal Dutch Shell (Great Britain and the Netherlands) - will finance 50% of the project.