MOSCOW, July 30 - The Nord Stream offshore gas pipeline, which connects Russia and Germany via the Baltic Sea floor, has resumed operations on Monday following a scheduled maintenance shutdown that began on July 17, European gas transport operators said.

According to the original schedule, the shutdown was due to last through the morning of July 31, but shipments were already resumed with the beginning of the new gas day on Monday morning. Up to 170 million cubic meters of gas daily are shipped via the Nord Stream pipeline. Taking into account the price of gas in European trading venues, the cost of gas over an above-target day may total around $45 million.