The Fortuna pipe-laying vessel, which sails under the Russian flag, can begin laying the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in Denmark's exclusive economic zone on January 15, 2021, the Danish Maritime Authority and project company Nord Stream 2 AG reported.

This refers to the laying of two lines of the gas pipeline from a point across from the southern end of Bornholm Island to the boundary between the Danish and German exclusive economic zones.

In addition to the Fortuna, the work will involve construction vessels Baltiysky Issledovatel and Murman, as well as other supply ships.

Temporary exclusion zones with a radius of 1.5 miles (2.8 km) around the Fortuna and 500 meters around the Baltiysky Issledovatel and Murman will be established when the vessels are at work and signal that they have limited maneuverability. Unauthorized shipping, diving, anchoring, fishing and work on the seabed will be prohibited in these zones.

European construction companies halted work on Nord Stream 2 a year ago after the United States passed a defense budget for the coming year that prohibited contractors from providing services for laying the pipeline.

After this, Russia began working on finishing the pipeline on its own. Two weeks ago, the Fortuna began work on finishing a 2.6-km section of the pipeline in Germany's exclusive economic zone.

Nord Stream 2 is now 94% complete, with more than 2,300 km of the 2,460-km pipeline laid.