Serbia is examining a potential extension of the regional petroleum-products pipeline network from Thessaloniki through Skopje to Niš, as the country considers additional routes for fuel supply amid uncertainty surrounding NIS and growing logistical constraints.
Energy ministers from Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria and North Macedonia discussed the possible development of a southeastern branch of Serbia’s national product-pipeline network along the Thessaloniki–Skopje–Niš corridor at a regional summit in Belgrade on October 6. The proposal remains at an early stage, with no investment value, pipeline capacity, financing structure or construction schedule announced. North Macedonia has indicated that it is prepared to participate in a feasibility study.
Thessaloniki–Skopje pipeline provides potential southern link
The infrastructure underpinning the proposal has already resumed operations. The 213.5-kilometre Thessaloniki–Skopje pipeline returned to service in 2026 after being inactive for 13 years. The pipeline is controlled by HELLENiQ Energy and the North Macedonian state and has annual capacity of approximately 2.5 million tonnes. It can transport diesel and other petroleum products from the Thessaloniki refining and logistics system. An extension toward Niš would provide Serbia with direct pipeline access to the Mediterranean refining and import infrastructure centred on Thessaloniki.
NIS uncertainty and fuel logistics increase diversification needs
The proposed route is being considered as Serbia faces uncertainty over the operating environment for NIS. The U.S. Treasury has extended the company’s operating licence, permitting continued refining, crude-oil imports and transactions required for supply security. The Pančevo refinery remains a key source of domestic production of diesel, petrol, kerosene and fuel oil. Serbia has also faced low water levels on the Danube and difficulties importing petroleum products. In response, the government released 5,000 tonnes of diesel from strategic reserves.
A southern pipeline connection could provide an additional physical supply route alongside existing transport options. It would not replace Pančevo, but could add backup capacity and expand the use of pipeline, rail, road and river routes for petroleum-product deliveries. For southern Serbia, supplies entering through North Macedonia could also provide an alternative to transporting all products from northern terminals and Pančevo.
Niš projects point to broader southern energy corridor
The proposed fuel pipeline would complement other energy infrastructure being developed around Niš. Construction is beginning on Serbia’s approximately €153 million gas interconnector with North Macedonia, which is designed for annual capacity of about 1.5 billion cubic metres. The project is intended eventually to connect Serbia with the Greek gas system and LNG infrastructure, providing another route for non-Russian gas supplies.
Separately, EPS, Srbijagas and Azerbaijan’s SOCAR have signed a shareholders’ agreement to develop a combined-cycle gas-fired power plant in Niš. The projects place Niš at the centre of several planned energy links between Serbia, North Macedonia and Greece, including gas infrastructure, electricity generation and a potential petroleum-products connection.
Regional infrastructure could expand fuel supply options
For Serbia, additional import routes would provide greater flexibility in sourcing petroleum products and reduce reliance on individual infrastructure assets. The proposed connection could also provide an alternative during refinery outages, sanctions-related disruptions or periods of restricted river transport. For Greece, the corridor would expand the potential hinterland served by Thessaloniki’s refining, port and energy infrastructure. North Macedonia could gain a larger transit role within regional energy infrastructure rather than serving solely as an endpoint.
The commercial viability of the proposed extension remains to be established. Pipeline utilisation, construction costs, tariffs and Serbian fuel demand will determine whether a connection to Niš can compete with existing rail and road import routes.
