Tensions rise over Great Sea Interconnector research in Eastern Mediterranean

On November 6, 2026, the Greek hydrographic station in Heraklion issued a NAVTEX for the French research vessel Abeille Marengo to conduct surveys for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project, an electrical link connecting Greece and Cyprus. The survey operation is scheduled to last from November 6, 2026, to March 6, 2027. Ankara reacted immediately by issuing an anti-NAVTEX, claiming that parts of the survey area fall within its self-declared continental shelf and asserting that the activities require prior Turkish consent, which has not been granted. Turkey officially declared the Greek and Cypriot NAVTEX messages invalid and has mobilized a drone for surveillance near the area of operations.

Greek diplomatic sources firmly rejected the Turkish claims, stating that the project will proceed according to its operational plan within Greek and Cypriot sovereign waters. Athens emphasized that it does not intend to seek permission from Turkey, citing clear provisions of the International Law of the Sea. While Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar publicly floated proposals for broader energy cooperation and a separate electrical link between Turkey and occupied Cyprus, these have been dismissed by the Greek side. The situation remains tense as the research vessel has departed from Crete, with both nations maintaining their respective stances on jurisdictional rights in the region.