Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ambitious MidCat gas pipeline project, intended to link Spain with France, was set aside. The Pyrenees corridor stalled for years as political pressure intensified from various interests, including the Catalan business community focused on workforce development. The government signaled a future role for the line in transporting green hydrogen. After the latest summit involving the presidents of Spain, France, and Portugal, the MidCat plan was shelved in favor of a new concept named BarMar: an underwater link between Barcelona and Marseille designed to carry green hydrogen and natural gas in a transitional phase, though many technical and financial details remain undisclosed.
Connection
A major shift is that the link will be built as an offshore connection rather than crossing the Pyrenees, a plan initially deemed too costly and forecast to take years to complete. The proposed 360-kilometer green corridor would run from the port of Barcelona to the port of Marseille, home to one of the Iberian Peninsula’s largest gas regasification plants, where liquefied natural gas imported by sea is turned back into gas. This development would enable Algeria gas to flow through the Iberian Peninsula into France and onward into Europe. Germany has welcomed the move as a means to reduce its heavy reliance on Russian gas. There is little appetite for a second underwater link directly between Barcelona and the Italian port of Livorno, despite calls from business groups such as Foment del Treball. The agreement also includes a commitment to a future interconnection between Celourico da Beira and Zamora in Portugal, known as CelZa, to support renewable energy integrations.
Raw materials
The MidCat concept also evolved to accommodate future green hydrogen transmission, designed to carry hydrogen produced from renewable energy when demand and technology align. The plan envisions a system that can operate with natural gas in the short term while enabling a smooth transition toward hydrogen as a clean fuel option.
Founding
Financing remains a central issue for the project. The ecological transition minister argued that the initiative should receive European Union funding, given its cross-border, continental scope. The BarMar plan, however, does not specify a funding source. Spain anticipates support from European funds, and discussions in the coming weeks are expected to address the capital requirements and the long-term financial structure. The total cost of the proposed infrastructure has not been disclosed.
Winners and losers
Opting to bury MidCat without a viable alternative, with a proposed investment surpassing several billion euros in which a major gas operator would participate, would represent a setback for Spain and Portugal, which stand to gain from BarMar and related interconnections with the broader Spanish network. The new scheme affords France a pathway to reduce internal tensions by shelving a pipeline that passed through sensitive protected areas. The Spanish and Portuguese leaders may publicly celebrate a completed cross-border link once an agreement with the rest of Europe is secured. One perspective is that Barcelona could become a central hub for gas and, in time, for green hydrogen in southern Europe, a development welcomed by regional leaders who have championed hydrogen-based initiatives in the Tarragona area.
Deadlines
Timelines remain uncertain. There are no firm predictions about when the new infrastructure would be operational. The project is likely to be medium to long term, with critical questions about financing and governance. A key strategic decision remains whether this is a bilateral effort or a Europe-wide initiative deserving Brussels support.