GSI seabed surveys announced as Turkey issues counter-Navtex

Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator (Admie) and Great Sea Interconnector SA announced on Friday that the Greek and Cypriot authorities have issued the necessary Navtex maritime notices for seabed surveys along the planned route of the Crete-Cyprus electricity interconnection. The surveys will be carried out by the research vessel Abeille Marengo in maritime areas along the proposed route. According to the announcement, the surveys form part of ongoing technical work on the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) and will provide additional data required for the project’s detailed technical design. However, Turkey has issued a counter-Navtex in response to the Greek maritime notice HA15-1411/26, challenging the planned research activities in the eastern Mediterranean. In its notice, numbered 1105/26, Ankara claims that part of the maritime area covered by the Greek Navtex falls within Turkey’s continental shelf, the boundaries of which it says were communicated to the United Nations on March 18, 2020. Turkish authorities also claim they have not given their consent for the research activities described in the Greek notice, which they describe as “unauthorised”. The Turkish Navtex further states that any research activities in areas Ankara considers to fall under its maritime jurisdiction must be coordinated with the relevant Turkish authorities. The development comes amid continuing uncertainty over the implementation of the GSI project, which has faced delays linked to maritime disputes in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkey also issued a separate counter-Navtex on Friday challenging Cypriot maritime notice for surveys by the Kobi Ruegg for the East to Med Corridor telecommunications cable project which will connect Saudi Arabia with Greece. In its counter- Navtex, Ankara claims that the Cypriot notice was issued by an “unauthorised station” and that the maritime area concerned falls within the jurisdiction of the Turkish Navtex service.