The French research vessel "Abeille Marengo" is scheduled to set sail from the port of Heraklion, bound for the Kasos area, where research on the Greece-Cyprus power interconnection will continue. As journalist Neoklis Neokleous reported while speaking on the Alpha News program, the delay in departure appears to be linked to both weather conditions and ongoing diplomatic proceedings.
According to reports, although the ship had initially notified the Heraklion Port Authority of its intention to depart last Saturday, the departure did not take place. Greek sources estimate that the delay may have served to separate political maneuvering from operational procedures in order to defuse the situation. It should be noted that Greece and Cyprus have issued the necessary NAVTEX notices for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), with the Greek notice covering the period from November 6, 2026, to March 6, 2027.
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The survey vessel is expected to head off the coast of Kasos, to the area where operations were suspended in July 2024 following the presence of Turkish warships. As reported, the surveys had been approximately 60% complete at that time, according to relevant reports, with the remaining portion of the route extending into the Cypriot EEZ. The key question now is whether Turkey will limit itself to diplomatic reactions or will attempt to obstruct the work once again.
Special mention is made of the actions of the French company Nexans, which is manufacturing the cable and has chartered the research vessel, while the simultaneous issuance of NAVTEX messages by Greece and Cyprus resulted from requests by the French company. At the same time, the formal note to Ankara is part of France’s diplomatic efforts, with Athens making it clear that there was no consultation with Turkey regarding the authorization of the operations.
As a possible precedent for these developments, he cited the case of the surveys for the East Med Corridor, the undersea fiber-optic cable planned to connect Europe with Saudi Arabia. In that specific case, despite Turkish objections and the issuance of an anti-NAVTEX, the work proceeded. Greek diplomatic authorities are reportedly expecting a similar outcome for the “Abeille Marengo.” This appears to be the expected outcome in the cases of both the “Abeille Marengo” and the GSI, though it is emphasized that the effectiveness of diplomatic maneuvers will ultimately be judged “on the ground.”
At the same time, developments are also taking place in the Cypriot EEZ, with ExxonMobil proceeding with confirmatory drilling in Block 10, where the “Glafkos” and “Pegasus.” The two fields are estimated to contain a total of approximately 7–8 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, while additional results are expected within the first half of 2027. Meanwhile, according to reports, procedures are underway for the potential award of Block 4 to a consortium led by ExxonMobil, with discussions currently taking place regarding a possible partnership with the Italian company ENI.
