Gazprom said in a separate statement that it foresees Gasunie taking up to a 9% stake in the North European Gas Pipeline (NEGP). The Dutch company, meanwhile, is to retain at least 51% of BBL, the operator of the 235-km long, 36-in diameter, Balzgand-Bacton interconnector pipeline between the Netherlands and the UK, Western Europe's largest gas market, which is due for start-up in early December. Gazprom owns a 51% stake in the company building the NEGP pipeline from Vyborg, Russia, across the Baltic Sea to Greifswald, Germany; the company has recently been renamed Nord Stream, and dropped its working title, the North European Gas Pipeline. Gazprom has said it wants to keep a 51% stake, and divide the remaining 49% among its foreign partners. At present, this share is divided equally between German energy giants E.ON and BASF; however past reports from the companies involved have suggested that Gasunie could also take a maximum 10% share in what is now Nord Stream. The Nord Stream pipeline is expected to come online in 2010, with an initial capacity of 27.5bn cum/yr, although the capacity may later be increased to 55bn cum/yr. Gazprom has also previously expressed interest in a stake in BBL, whose shareholders include E.ON's Ruhrgas division, Fluxys, and Gasunie. The pipeline is expected to reach full capacity in March, 2007, when it is expected to flow at up to 42m cum/d.