UK and Europe Aiming to Step-Up Energy Security Measures

The UK will acquire two specialist ships to help protect underwater infrastructure such as pipelines and cables defense minister Ben Wallace said on Sunday.

• The announcement comes shortly after Nord Stream 1 and 2 were heavily damaged by four apparent blasts early last week.
• Norway on Friday requested help from Britain, Germany and France to ensure its oil and gas infrastructure was being guarded.
• “It should remind us all how fragile our economy and infrastructure is to such to such hybrid attacks ... Our internet and our energy are highly reliant on pipelines and cables. Russia makes no secret of its ability to target such infrastructure,” Wallace said.
• The ships’ ability to protect UK assets are still some way off, with the first not available until the end of next year at the earliest.
• EU ambassadors are in discussions starting this morning on ways to protect EU energy infrastructure after last weeks blasts.