Baku, April 30 : Azerbaijan plans to boost its supplies of natural gas to Europe by 30 per cent this year, pumping 10.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas, the country's state oil company SOCAR said. "Getting a direct access to the European market has ensured the diversification of Azerbaijan's export capacity. This adds value to Azerbaijan's economy, at the same time cementing the country's standing as Europe's reliable gas supplier," Xinhua news agency quoted SOCAR as saying in a statement. Azerbaijan exported 2.6 bcm of natural gas to Europe in the first quarter of 2022. The country started commercial natural gas deliveries to Europe via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) in late 2020. The pipeline is the final leg of the 3,500 km-long Southern Gas Corridor, which pumps gas from Azerbaijan's giant Shah Deniz II field in the Caspian Sea. /IANS