A second Russian pipelay vessel is set to join Gazprom's Nord Stream 2 project, defying U.S. sanctions in a race to completion. The DP-enabled pipelay vessel Akademik Cherskiy will complete sea trials and then begin work on the pipelay string in Danish waters, the project consortium told Russian media in a statement. According to Argus, Denmark's government confirms that the work on the first parallel string will begin by the end of the month. AIS tracking provided by Pole Star shows that Akademik Cherskiy got under way from Wismar on March 4 and is now holding position in the Baltic off Sassnitz, about 15 nm west of the Russian pipelay barge Fortuna. The Fortuna is already on site and working, with less than 100 miles of line left and 93 percent of the project completed.