Interconnector research vessel monitored by Turkish navy

A research vessel conducting surveys of the seabed for the proposed electricity cable linking Greece and Cyprus was this week being monitored at a distance by the Turkish navy, but no incidents occurred, reports said on Tuesday.

Greek media reported that the Italian-flagged Ievoli Relume was on Monday carrying out a new round of surveys near Kasos, the southernmost island in the Aegean Sea. But unlike a month ago, it was not harassed by Turkish warships.

Sailing in Greek territorial waters, the survey vessel was being escorted by a Greek Navy gunboat and a frigate. Under the relevant Navtex – which expires on Wednesday – the vessel is covering an area from six nautical miles southwest to six nautical miles southeast of Kasos.

While turning towards the direction of Crete, a Turkish frigate was spotted on radar. However the Turkish ship – sailing in international waters – kept its distance, at approximately 25 nautical miles from the Ievoli Relume.

Previously, on July 22 and 23, the same survey vessel had drawn the attention of Turkish gunboats. In response, the Greek Navy dispatched its own ships to the area. The matter was resolved diplomatically.

At the time, Ankara claimed that the research vessel had entered maritime areas under Turkey’s jurisdiction, invoking the Turkish-Libyan memorandum on maritime zones. Greece says the memorandum is null and void.

The geopolitical risk to the mooted Great Sea Interconnector has caused the project promoter – Greece’s independent power transmission operator or Admie – to seek ironclad guarantees of full reimbursement in case of the abandonment of the project due to force majeure.

Such compensation for expenses was alluded to in a decision issued by the Cyprus energy regulator in 2023, at a time when a Cypriot private company was still the project promoter. That decision stated that, in the event of force majeure, the promoter “may” recoup the expenditures made until the point of scrapping the project.

But the word may is ambiguous, which is why Admie now wants a more explicit commitment in writing.