TAPI
Ukraine wants to participate in main projects implemented within the framework of the construction of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI), according to the press service of the Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utility Services of Ukraine.
The construction of the transnational gas pipeline was officially announced by President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow. The ceremony was attended by President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani, Vice President of India Mohammad Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister of Pakistan Mohammad Nawaz Sharif.
"Ukraine is ready to participate in projects for building a trunk railway road and power lines, which will be implemented as part of the TAPI gas pipeline construction," Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Utility Services Hennadiy Zubko said at a meeting with Turkmen Deputy Prime Ministers Satlyk Satlykov and Shamuhammet Durdylyev.
He also mentioned a successful completion of the construction of a complex of water treatment facilities in Ashgabat whose commissioning he attended jointly with Deputy Prime Minister Durdylyev.
"Ukraine is interested in further participation in this project and the expansion of its capacity from 300 to 600 thousand cubic meters [of sewage]. We are also interested in the construction of an underground railway system and motor roads," Zubkov said.
During a meeting with Satlykov, Zubko agreed on plans to send 1,500 rail wagons of rolling stock to Turkmenistan. A tender to supply half of these units has already been announced. The Turkmen expert committee is now examining Ukraine-based Kryukov Railway Car Building Plant's possibilities.
"Turkmenistan is interested in deliveries of vehicles from Ukraine, as well as in the execution of orders for production of non-standard rail wagons. These rail cars will be used by the railway servicing the TAPI gas pipeline," Zubko said.
The TAPI gas pipeline is planned to be 1,735 km long. Once completed, it will annually pump 33 billion cubic meters of gas produced at Galkynysh gas field, the largest one in Turkmenistan.
The total costs of the project are estimated at $30 billion, with the funding coming from the United States and the Asian Development Bank. The construction is expected to be completed by the end of December 2018.