Greece and Cyprus issue Navtex for Great Sea Interconnector surveys

On November 6, 2026, Greek and Cypriot authorities issued maritime notifications (Navtex) authorizing the French-flagged survey vessel Abeille Marengo to conduct seabed research for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) electricity cable. The surveys, which follow a licensing process by a special inter-ministerial committee, cover the route from Crete through the waters east of Kasos to the border of the Cypriot exclusive economic zone. The vessel, managed by the Italian company Next Geosolutions on behalf of the French firm Nexans, is expected to depart from Heraklion port to begin mapping the seabed, a process scheduled to continue until March 6, 2027.

This project aims to bridge the energy systems of Greece and Cyprus, marking a significant step toward regional energy cooperation. While the move signals a formal implementation phase for the GSI, Turkey has responded by issuing a counter-Navtex, claiming that parts of the survey area fall within its continental shelf and that the activities are unauthorized. Despite these diplomatic tensions, the work is seen as a strategic milestone for the region. Previous surveys were halted in 2024 due to intervention by Turkish warships, but current reports suggest that diplomatic understandings between France and Turkey make a similar escalation less likely this time.