Research vessel Abeille Marengo heads to Crete for Great Sea Interconnector project

The French-flagged research vessel Abeille Marengo departed from Naples, Italy, on October 23, 2026, and is expected to arrive in Heraklion, Crete, on October 27. The ship has been contracted by Nexans to conduct preliminary oceanographic and bathymetric surveys for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), an electrical interconnection project linking Greece and Cyprus. These surveys are essential for mapping the seabed along the proposed cable route from Korakia, Crete, to Cyprus.

Upon arrival, the vessel will undergo preparations while awaiting the formal issuance of a maritime NAVTEX, which is expected in early November. According to reports, the survey operations are planned to resume from the point where previous efforts were halted near the 6-nautical-mile limit of the territorial waters of Kasos. The GSI project, now managed by IPTO with the French firm Meridiam holding a majority stake, aims to reduce Cyprus's energy isolation.

Simultaneously, another vessel, the Kobi Ruegg, departed from Heraklion on October 23 to begin surveys for a separate telecommunications cable connecting Greece and Saudi Arabia. This second project has already received a valid NAVTEX covering the period from October 23 to October 30.