Turkey has prevented the Gibraltar-flagged ship Fugro Gauss from conducting research on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus in an area that Ankara claims as part of its continental shelf, according to Turkish media and the Cyprus News Agency. Turkey issued a counter-NAVTEX, declaring Cyprus’s NAVTEX null and void.
According to the Turkish newspaper Milliyet, the Turkish navy was deployed to the area, and Ankara “communicated that the project cannot proceed without its prior consent.”
Citing sources from the Turkish Ministry of Defense, Turkish outlets reported that “our air and naval assets have been deployed to the area to take the necessary measures. The activities of the vessel in question are being closely monitored.”
More specifically, the Turkish Ministry of Defense sources stated:
“Our determination regarding our rights on the continental shelf in the Eastern Mediterranean, as declared to the United Nations on March 18, 2020, is continuously demonstrated both at the table and on the ground.
According to international law, any activities such as cable/pipeline installations or scientific research on our continental shelf must be coordinated in advance with our country, as a coastal state.”
The Ministry added:
“In accordance with this principle, we always monitor such situations and do not permit any unauthorized activity within our continental shelf. No activity or project that disregards our country — such as the GSI project — will be allowed.”
As part of this approach, it continued:
“The NAVWARN issued on August 5, 2025, regarding geophysical surveys by the Gibraltar-flagged vessel FUGRO GAUSS was determined to violate our continental shelf. Consequently, our Foreign Ministry issued the necessary warnings, and our Ministry issued a counter-NAVTEX.”
Ankara emphasized:
“We will not allow any attempts to create faits accomplis.”
Again, according to Turkish media, the Defense Ministry sources said:
“Our air and naval units are in the region to take the necessary precautions. The vessel’s activities are being monitored closely. If an attempt is made to violate our continental shelf, necessary action will be taken on the spot.”
Milliyet: “Greek Cypriot Movement in the Blue Homeland Prevented”
Today’s Milliyet article, titled “Greek Cypriot Movement Prevented in the Blue Homeland,” claims:
“The Greek Cypriot administration of southern Cyprus tried to violate Turkey’s continental shelf in the Mediterranean Sea using a Gibraltar-flagged ship, but the attempt was thwarted. Ankara warned the Greek Cypriot administration that it would not allow any faits accomplis in the Mediterranean.”
The Ship Was Surveying for the EMC Undersea Optical Cable
Milliyet also reports:
“The Turkish Navy prevented the ship, which attempted to violate Turkey’s continental shelf, after the Greek Cypriot administration issued an illegal NAVTEX. On August 5, the Greek Cypriot administration announced an area — which includes part of Turkey’s continental shelf — for marine scientific research by a Gibraltar-flagged ship as part of the ‘EMC’ undersea optical cable project. This attempt at a fait accompli by the Greek Cypriots was immediately countered by Turkey.”
According to Milliyet, Turkish naval forces quickly deployed to the area, and a maritime patrol aircraft warned the Fugro Gauss that it could not carry out scientific activities within Turkey’s continental shelf without Turkish consent. Simultaneously, Turkey declared the Greek Cypriot NAVTEX invalid.
A similar attempt by Greece near the island of Karpathos in July had also been prevented by the Turkish navy, according to the article.
“Greek Cypriot Efforts Will Yield No Results”
Milliyet reports that diplomatic sources emphasized the optical fiber project is distinct from the “Great Sea” electricity interconnection between Greece and Cyprus, but both are subject to the same legal procedures.
The sources stressed that under international maritime law, any project crossing Turkey’s continental shelf — as registered with the UN on March 18, 2020 — requires Turkey’s explicit consent as the coastal state.
The sources added that the German company managing the project, the UK as the vessel’s flag state, and the vessel itself have cooperated, stating:
“The Greek Cypriot side must understand that its well-known efforts to create faits accomplis will not succeed — neither practically nor legally.”
Milliyet also notes that:
“In 2024, the ‘Blue Raman’ optical cable project, which passed through Turkey’s continental shelf, was successfully completed because proper diplomatic procedures were followed and Turkey granted its approval. However, the ‘Great Sea’ interconnection project between Crete and Cyprus did not move forward due to Greece’s refusal to comply with these procedures and Turkey’s firm stance.”
Photo Credit: Marine Traffic
Photographer of Fugro Gauss: Erwin Willemse
Ask me anything
Explore related questions
