MOSCOW, December 8. /TASS/. South Stream Transport B.V. (in charge of gas pipeline Turkish Stream construction) signed a contract with Swiss company Allseas Group S.A. for construction of the first line of the offshore section of Turkish Stream with an option for construction of the second line, according to Gazprom.

Under the contract, Allseas must lay more than 900 km of pipes on the seafloor. To perform this operation, the company plans to use the world's largest construction vessel Pioneering Spirit.

"Allseas will start laying the first line in the second half of 2017," the report said.

It was reported earlier that Russia will start to ratify the agreement on the Turkish Stream in the near future. According to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev ratification of the agreement in Turkey "gives confidence that this project will be implemented." "In the near future we have to move on to ratification procedures in Russia," he said.

Medvedev added that Russia and Turkey will discuss construction of Turkish Stream pipeline extension to Europe. "In any case I am certain that this type of solutions will be to the benefit of Europe and will contribute to the diversification of routes for gas supply, but at the same time it is not competing with any other gas pipelines in the sense that everyone has their own place," Medvedev said.

He noted that the Turkish Stream is intended to add to the possibilities of gas supplies to the European market.

On December 2, the parliament of Turkey has passed a bill on ratifying an intergovernmental agreement with Russia on constructing the Turkish Stream gas pipeline.

A total of 210 lawmakers out of 223 were in favor of the ratification during the vote, which was held last night. On November 29, the parliament’s foreign relations commission also endorsed the bill.

The Russian authorities announced the Turkish Stream in December 2014 to replace the South Stream gas pipeline project. It was planned that the offshore section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline would comprise four stretches with a capacity of 15.75 bln cubic meters each.

However, the negotiations on the project were subsequently suspended, including due to the crisis in bilateral relations. After talks held between Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg in August 2016, a decision was made to resume works under the Turkish Stream gas pipeline project, set up a working group and prepare a roadmap.

The Turkish Stream project envisages the construction of a gas pipeline across the Black Sea to the European part of Turkey and farther to the border with Greece. The pipeline’s offshore section is expected to equal about 910 km and its overland segment on the Turkish territory 180 km.

The project is estimated at 11.4 bln euro. Gas deliveries via the first stretch of the gas pipeline are designed wholly to meet the requirements of the growing Turkish market.