BAKU, May 29 (Xinhua) -- The official opening ceremony of the first phase of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) was held near Azerbaijan's capital Tuesday, and is expected to begin supplying gas to Turkey and Georgia this year.

Addressing the ceremony at the Sangachal terminal, 55 km south of Baku, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan implements giant projects together with partners and has recreated the energy map of Europe.

Aliyev called the Southern Gas Corridor "a new energy vein," saying that the interests of supplying, transit and consuming countries are being met by this project.

"Without this balance of interests, the project could not have been implemented. We must provide mutual cooperation," he said.

The Southern Gas Corridor is an initiative of the European Union (EU)for transporting Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian region to Europe via Georgia and Turkey.

The Corridor involves three gas pipelines -- the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the South Caucasus Pipeline through Georgia (SCP) and the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP) through Turkey, with a total investment estimated at 45 billion U.S. dollars.

The main supply source will be Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas field, located in the Caspian Sea.

The opening of TANAP is scheduled for June 12 in Turkey. Gas deliveries to Europe are expected to begin in 2020.?