BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 3. The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) is a strategically important infrastructure project, Luca Di Canfrancesco, Italy’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan said.
He made the remarks at the 12th Ministerial Meeting of the Southern Gas Corridor Advisory Council and the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Green Energy Advisory Council in Baku.
“Azerbaijan continues to strengthen regional energy security and ensure reliable and uninterrupted energy supply. Looking ahead, natural gas will continue to play an important role in supporting the energy transition. The Southern Gas Corridor, particularly its final segment, the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), is a strategically important infrastructure project whose throughput will be increased in the coming years. This pipeline provides a direct link between the Caspian region and European markets, ensuring secure, flexible, and transparent energy flows,” the ambassador said.
TAP constitutes the European segment of the Southern Gas Corridor, delivering natural gas from Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Sea to European markets. The 878-kilometre pipeline connects with TANAP at the Greek-Türkiye border, runs through Greece and Albania, crosses the Adriatic Sea, and comes ashore in southern Italy.
The pipeline has an initial capacity of around 10 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year and has been designed with the technical capability to expand to 20 bcm, subject to market demand and regulatory approvals.