German Paper Production May Be Halted Due to Gas Shortage

The head of the German Paper Industry Association, Winfried Shaur, said that the lack of natural gas may greatly affect German paper production, and the cessation of natural gas supply may lead to a complete shutdown.

"No one knows whether it will be possible to produce this autumn or winter," Shaur was quoted as saying by the German news agency DPA.

He added that if the gas supply were to stop completely, it would effectively bring paper production to a halt, which would also affect the production of many vital paper products for food and hygiene.

The main gas supply route to Europe, Nord Stream, has been closed for scheduled maintenance from July 11-21. Meanwhile, the supply of gas through Nord Stream has been limited since mid-June, even before scheduled maintenance - at 40% of capacity. Gazprom explained that reasons for this include delays in the return of Siemens turbines from maintenance due to Canadian sanctions.

At the request of Germany, Canada decided to lift sanctions on Gazprom equipment until the end of 2024. Gazprom said it was waiting for Siemens to confirm the possibility of returning the turbines to Nord Stream. According to media reports, the engine is on the way and could return to Russia around July 24.