Serbia and North Macedonia have joined the Vertical Gas Corridor, extending the regional gas transport initiative deeper into the Western Balkans as governments seek greater access to alternative supplies and more flexible north-south routes.
Serbia’s Transportgas and North Macedonia’s Nomagas signed a memorandum of understanding in Thessaloniki during the 10th Energy Forum for Southeastern Europe.
Their participation expands the group of transmission operators involved in the corridor to Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and North Macedonia.
The initiative is intended to improve access to alternative gas sources and reduce dependence on a limited number of transport routes. Serbia and North Macedonia’s entry could also provide additional options for moving gas between Balkan markets and Central and Eastern Europe.
The next phase is expected to concentrate on coordination between transmission system operators, including identifying bottlenecks, improving use of existing pipelines and assessing infrastructure that could increase cross-border capacity.
Bidirectional operation will be a particular focus, allowing gas to move in different directions as market conditions and security-of-supply requirements change.
The project goes beyond physical infrastructure. Operators are also expected to align technical, regulatory and commercial arrangements to make capacity along the corridor easier for suppliers and traders to use.
For Serbia and North Macedonia, participation strengthens their position within the emerging north-south gas architecture connecting southern supply entry points with markets further north.
