The U.S. is broadening the sanctions against service providers and those funding vessels involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 in a fresh attempt to prevent the Russia-led gas pipeline project from completing, the U.S. Department of State said in new guidance on Tuesday. The sanctions are a follow-up to U.S. sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 project from December 2019, which resulted in Western vessel and technology providers pulling out of the project. Following the announcement of the sanctions last December, Switzerland-based offshore pipelay and subsea construction company Allseas immediately suspended Nord Stream 2 pipelay activities. Now the United States is including in the sanctions companies “providing services or facilities for upgrades or installation of equipment for those vessels, or funding for upgrades or installation of equipment for those vessels,” according to the latest guidance. “We continue to call on Russia to cease using its energy resources […]