The countdown to the issuance of a NAVTEX notice for the resumption of surveys ahead of the laying of the Crete–Cyprus electricity interconnector began when French company NEXANS submitted an official request to Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The surveys will test on the ground whether the understanding Paris has sought to reach with Turkey in recent weeks will allow the work to proceed without obstruction.

The request was submitted by NEXANS rather than the French embassy, as the project is of Greek interest. This unlocks the process leading to the issuance of a NAVTEX notice authorising the surveys. The application, submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ D1 Directorate, will be examined by the Interministerial Committee for the Granting of Marine Research Permits (EXAETH), which will make a recommendation to Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, who will take the final decision. The request will then be forwarded to the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service for the relevant notice to be issued, including the coordinates of the survey vessel’s route.

According to information, the process will take at least two weeks, meaning work is expected to begin after the end of October.

In parallel, the prescribed procedure has been set in motion with an application to the Hellenic Coast Guard for an exemption allowing the French-flagged vessel ABEILLE MARENGO to undertake the project, as no equivalent vessel flying the Greek flag is available.

The exemption application refers to surveys in areas falling within national territorial waters, as the request to the Hellenic Coast Guard concerns areas under its jurisdiction. It also notes that, at present, “there is no other change to the overall procedure concerning the survey route for the proposed laying and alignment of the cable”, as set out in the relevant documents on which previous permits were based. It further specifies that the work will be carried out within the authorised period, until 31 December 2026, with the possibility of a further extension.

The exemption application was submitted by Next Geosolution Europe SA, which took over the work from the contractor NEXANS SA. It concerns the “necessary preliminary underwater survey, involving oceanographic and bathymetric work, between the maritime area of Korakia, in Crete’s Heraklion regional unit, and the maritime area of Cyprus”.

Behind-the-scenes talks and the question of notification

According to information, the operational team behind the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) was ready to submit the request and was awaiting the green light to file it so that a NAVTEX could be issued. The aim was to allow the behind-the-scenes diplomatic consultations led by the French side to be completed, ensuring that Turkey would not raise new obstacles to the surveys.

Athens, however, is unofficially saying that it does not know exactly what the French have discussed with their Turkish counterparts, or whether a formula has been found that safeguards Greece’s positions while also being acceptable to Turkey. The assessment is that the French side believes — insofar as this can be considered reliable — that a suitable formula has been found, and that this is why the green light was given for the process to begin.

Several ideas had been put forward in recent weeks. One envisaged submitting an official request to Greece while simply notifying Turkey of the survey schedule along the entire route of the research vessel. Turkey could interpret such a move as a “request” to its competent authorities, potentially prompting the issuance of a Turkish NAVTEX and a claim that the surveys were being conducted with Turkey’s permission in an area it considers part of its continental shelf.

In practice, in such a case, Athens would issue a cancelling NAVTEX, stating that the surveys were being conducted under the NAVTEX issued by the “authorised station in Heraklion” for surveys within Greece’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.

The most favourable scenario envisages that, through this exchange of NAVTEX notices, the surveys could continue without problems.

This would, of course, depend on the “notification” not taking the form of a “request” to Turkey as a “coastal” state. There is, however, another potential complication: Turkey could attempt to establish an unlawful NAVTEX as a fait accompli, with a Turkish warship present to monitor the work.

Turkey’s messages

The signals coming from Ankara are negative. In addition to statements by senior government officials, particular significance attaches to remarks made two days ago by Mustafa Başkara, director of the University of Ankara’s National Research Centre for the Law of the Sea (DEHUKAM), who in recent years has been responsible for managing and planning Turkey’s marine parks and marine spatial planning.

Başkara stressed that “decisions regarding the location and the manner in which work will be carried out in these areas must be taken jointly with Turkey, and permission must be obtained from Turkey by submitting a notification”. He added that “anyone intending to carry out work on Turkey’s continental shelf must obtain permission for that work”.

Athens, for its part, has made it unequivocally clear to all sides that the request to conduct the surveys must be submitted to Greece, which will also be responsible for issuing the NAVTEX. A senior source has also stated that Greece will not accept a request that has been submitted to a third party as well.