Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP)
Brings Caspian gas across Greece and Albania to Italy. Albania receives no transit fee, although it is not an EU member.
Greece → Albania → Italy
Sole promoter · Porto Romano (Adriatic) Hub
Where Europe’s gas corridors meet, in Albania
IA-SEE is the sole promoter of the Porto Romano (Adriatic) Hub, part of a hydrogen-ready gas corridor for Europe. It stands at the intersection of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, the horizontal Corridor VIII, the vertical Ionian Adriatic Pipeline and the spur to the Vlora thermal power plant.
IA-SEE GmbH is a Swiss company in Kilchberg, near Zurich, founded by Naskë Afezolli, the originator of the TAP concept.
The project
Four corridors, one hub
Porto Romano, north of Durrës on the Corridor VIII alignment, is where the region’s gas routes can be joined into a single system serving Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Italy, and ready to carry hydrogen.
Corridor VIII (horizontal)
The east–west axis from the Adriatic to the Black Sea, through North Macedonia and Bulgaria.
Durrës → Skopje → Sofia → Black Sea
Ionian Adriatic Pipeline (vertical)
The north–south axis along the Adriatic coast. With Corridor VIII it closes the Western Balkans Gas Ring.
Albania → Montenegro → Croatia
Spur to the Vlora thermal power plant
Planned to bring TAP gas to the Vlora plant, which has never received it. In our view, it is the tragic symbol of the corruption surrounding TAP in Albania.
Spur capacity: 120 million m³
USD 80–100 million a year
Transit revenue Albania forgoes on TAP, by IA-SEE’s estimate. We argue that the EU and TAP should compensate Albania with gas infrastructure.
Hydrogen-ready
Designed for a hydrogen-ready link between Albania and Italy, so the investment serves Europe’s energy transition.
No FSRU in Vlora Bay
A floating LNG terminal in Vlora Bay would harm tourism and protected areas. Porto Romano is the more competitive site.
Services
Energy markets and infrastructure advice
IA-SEE draws on decades of work in European power and gas markets to advise governments, utilities and investors in South East Europe.
Infrastructure and corridors
- Gas and power corridor strategy
- Project development and promotion
- Engagement with EU institutions and IFIs
Trading and risk
- Trading set-up, front and back office
- Risk governance, policy and controls
- Market entry and licensing
Markets and regulation
- Wholesale market design and reform
- Network regulation and tariffs
- Data and trading platforms
IA-SEE TV
A channel for clarity, responsibility and dignity
A public platform giving voice to citizens, independent thinkers and ideas that strengthen democratic participation and accountability across South East Europe and beyond.
Founder
Naskë Afezolli
MSc Engineering · MBA · Humphrey Fellow
Engineer, energy strategist and former Deputy Minister of Albania, whose work helped bring Albania and South East Europe into the European energy system.
- 1985
Initiates and leads the 400 kV Albania–Greece interconnection, Albania’s first high-voltage link to the European grid.
- 1989
Contributes to the 220 kV Albania–Kosovo interconnection.
- 1991–1993
Deputy Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, negotiating trade and investment agreements with the United States and European countries.
- 1993–1994
Humphrey Fellow in the United States, specialising in economics and finance for countries in transition.
- EGL / Axpo
Senior roles in Switzerland covering Eastern and Central Europe and North America: cross-border power and gas, regulation and infrastructure planning.
- TAP
Original initiator of the Trans Adriatic Pipeline concept, conceived as the first South East European gas corridor independent of Russian gas.
- 2008
Presents TAP at the U.S. State Department to Ambassador Richard Morningstar, who recognised it as strategically significant for Euro-Atlantic energy security.
Company
IA-SEE GmbH
- Name
- IA-SEE GmbH, Innovative Alliance of South East Europe
- Seat
- Kilchberg, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland
- UID
- CHE-273.239.058
- Owners
- Naskë Afezolli (95%) and Adela Afezolli (5%)
- Role
- Sole promoter of the Porto Romano (Adriatic) Hub
Contact
Get in touch
- naske.afezolli@ia-see.com
- Office
- +41 43 377 9844
- Mobile
- +41 79 321 7909
- Location
- Kilchberg, Switzerland
Direct democracy
The citizens’ initiative IASEE–RISE (Rinisja Shqiptare) has its own platform.