Press events 2007

On 15 December 2007, the County Museum of Gotland opened an exhibition about the terrible night from 28 to 29 July 1566, when more than 5.000 people died in a storm just outside Visby harbour. It displays artefacts from the 15 warships of the Danish-Lübeckish fleet which had anchored there during the Nordic Seven Years War. One day before the official opening, Gotland based media were informed both about the current exhibition as well as ongoing archaeological activities at the excavation site. In an introductory speech, Malin Lindqvist, Curator of the Museum of Gotland spoke about the historic background as well as single artefacts such as a cannon, coins and pieces of wrecks.

Nord Stream is sponsor of the exhibition. The company is currently conducting what is likely to be the most extensive seabed survey in the Baltic Sea ever. However, it is not only the responsible approach towards underwater research but also the strong commitment to the Baltic region that Nord Stream and Aqua Arkeologen have in common. Being aware of the fascinating cultural heritage of the Baltic Sea and its unique ecosystem, sharing knowledge supporting this international research project is very important to Nord Stream.

During spring-summer 2008 further maritime archaeological investigations will be carried out by divers and experts from Gotland. Besides, several events, including an excursion to the excavation site and a briefing on the results of diving activities are planned. The current exhibition will be open for approximately one year.

Media representatives from Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Poland and Germany came to Helsinki harbour for a visit on the research vessels Franklin, Pollux and Triad. The three boats are currently working in the Gulf of Finland to complete Nord Stream’s detailed seabed survey. After an introduction to the pipeline project, the journalists were guided around the vessels for a comprehensive overview, from the bridge to the survey rooms. On deck, the equipment in use was introduced: the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) with underwater cameras, magnetometer array and side scan sonar on the Pollux, sub bottom profiler and multi-beam echo sounder on the Franklin. With this modern equipment, Nord Stream is conducting what is likely to be the most extensive survey of a defined path ever across the Baltic Sea.

The demonstrations of data transmission, which were set up in the control rooms of both the Pollux and Franklin, took centre stage. Media representatives took great interest in Nord Stream's efforts to minimise the environmental impact and its policy regarding munitions related findings. In the afternoon, Pollux and Triad performed manoeuvres in Helsinki South Harbour.

Nord Stream’s spokespersons Sebastian Sass, Permitting Manager, Simon Bonnell, Senior Project Engineer, and Ola Oskarsson, CEO of Marin Mätteknik AB (MMT), Nord Stream’s contractor in charge of the 2007 survey, answered questions on environmental and political aspects and also discussed technical issues of the project.

Four Swedish and one German media representative from major TV stations and a leading Swedish newspaper took part in a press trip around the Slite harbour on the research vessel Pollux. The journalists had an opportunity to get to know the survey equipment on board: the ROV with underwater cameras, the magnetometer array and the side scan sonar. The functions of the positioning equipment were demonstrated by visiting metallic demonstration targets that the crew had placed in the sea the day before.

On board, the journalists made use of the chance to find out more about the survey currently being conducted by Marin Mätteknik AB (MMT) and the surveys completed by Petergaz in 2005 and 2006. Focus was on findings in the Swedish Exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The media representatives took a great interest in the video taken by the underwater camera and the Fledermaus software demonstration. Fledermaus (which means “bat” in German) enables mapping and visualisation of the seabed.

All media representatives were given safety briefings and a tour around the vessel - from the bridge to the survey room. Ola Oskarsson, CEO of Marin Mätteknik AB and Bob Pirie, Offshore Representative for Nord Stream gave a hands-on demonstration of the survey equipment. Maud Amelie Hanitzsch, PR Assistant, answered various questions about environmental and political aspects of the pipeline project as well as the history of the munition dump sites and mines in the Baltic Sea.

Six Swedish journalists representing major media took part in the press trip to the service platform K13-A in the North Sea. The purpose of the trip was to show the Swedish media a platform similar to the one planned by Nord Stream off Gotland. The press trip was a great opportunity to explain design, functioning and environmental aspects of the service platform.

K13-A was constructed in 1975 and is run by Wintershall to provide for the operational support of their pipelines. Today there are more than 500 off-shore platforms in the North Sea. Their construction and operation is based on state-of-the-art technology and their impact on the environment is limited.

The media representatives were given a guided tour around the platform which is about 40 m long and 30 m wide. Mervyn Porter, Nord Stream’s platform expert, described all the stages of platform construction, operation and maintenance, and showed the “intelligent pigs” fitted with high-resolution ultrasonic sensors that can detect even the smallest irregularities inside the pipelines. Dirk von Ameln, Nord Stream’s Permitting Director, and Irina Vasilyeva, Communications Manager, answered various question about political and environmental aspects of the Nord Stream pipeline and of the platform construction.