Greece issues Navtex for Crete-Cyprus power cable surveys
Greek authorities have authorised the French vessel Abeille Marengo to resume seabed surveys for the Great Sea Interconnector after months of diplomatic preparations.
KEY POINTS
- Navtex 1411/26 issued by Heraklion station on 6 November at 16:13
- Surveys valid from 6 November 2026 to 6 March 2027
- Abeille Marengo stationed at Heraklion port in Crete
- EXAETH committee briefed on 2 November, recommendations due by 6 November
- Turkey’s response expected to be milder than previous periods
Greece has issued a Navtex maritime notice allowing the French-flagged vessel Abeille Marengo to resume seabed surveys for the Great Sea Interconnector project. The notice, numbered 1411/26, was issued by the Heraklion station on 6 November at 16:13 Greek time.
The surveys will cover areas in the eastern and south-eastern Cretan Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, extending east of Crete and Kasos. The Navtex is valid from 6 November 2026 until 6 March 2027.
“Athens will not request permission from Turkey to carry out work in areas where it exercises sovereign rights.”
The Abeille Marengo is currently stationed at the port of Heraklion in Crete and can depart without delay for the designated survey area. The Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service issued the maritime notice authorising the resumption of survey activities.
The project aims to connect the electricity grids of Crete and Cyprus and carries broader geopolitical implications for Greece’s exercise of sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish objections had previously disrupted survey operations, including during the 2024 confrontation when Turkish naval vessels intervened.
Greek authorities have repeatedly stated that Athens will not request permission from Turkey to carry out work in areas where it exercises sovereign rights. France is reported to have played a decisive role by informing Ankara of the upcoming work in a manner that does not create obligations for Athens and cannot be interpreted as recognition of Turkish claims.
Members of the special interministerial committee EXAETH were briefed on 2 November and instructed to submit recommendations on licensing by 6 November. The Hellenic Coast Guard will issue the necessary exemption permit for the vessel, after which the project company will submit a formal Navtex request to the Ministry of National Defence.
Well-informed sources believe the political environment following the US midterm elections has created more favourable conditions for restarting the surveys. The likelihood of a repeat of the 2024 confrontation is assessed as lower.
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