Surveys resume for Great Sea Interconnector project amid Turkish opposition

Greece and Cyprus have initiated a series of maritime surveys for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project, an ambitious electrical link designed to connect the power grids of the two nations. The research vessel Abeille Marengo, contracted by the French company Nexans, is scheduled to depart from Heraklion on November 9, 2026, to conduct seabed surveys along the route, which extends from Crete towards the Cypriot exclusive economic zone. The operation is supported by Greek and Cypriot NAVTEX notices, with the Greek notice active until March 6, 2027, and the Cypriot notice running from November 19, 2026, to March 19, 2027.

In response to the issuance of the maritime notices, Turkey issued a counter-NAVTEX, asserting that the survey area overlaps with its continental shelf as unilaterally defined in 2020. The Turkish Foreign Ministry claimed the activities are unauthorized. Despite this, Greek government officials, including Deputy Minister of Digital Governance Konstantinos Kyranakis, have affirmed their country's readiness to protect national interests and continue the technical implementation. While drone surveillance by Turkey has been reported near the survey area, the mission is set to proceed, with monitoring provided by autonomous systems and potential surface unit support.