Seabed survey restart sought for Great Sea Interconnector
Greece is seeking to restart seabed surveys for the €1.9 billion Great Sea Interconnector, a proposed electricity connection between Cyprus and mainland Europe. The effort comes as unresolved maritime disagreements with Turkey continue to threaten the project’s implementation schedule. Progress on the interconnector has been delayed by competing maritime claims in the eastern Mediterranean.
French cable manufacturer Nexans has submitted a new application to conduct offshore surveys on behalf of Greek transmission system operator ADMIE. The surveys are intended to establish the final submarine cable route before installation activities can proceed. A French survey vessel is expected to undertake the work if required authorisations are granted.
Authorisations and vessel operations under Greek marine oversight
The offshore survey work would require approvals from Greece’s ministerial committee responsible for marine research and its coast guard. The planned sequencing links the survey campaign to subsequent offshore cable installation activities. For project developers and contractors, any extended pause would affect construction planning and the ordering of offshore cable laying operations.
Turkey has said certain survey activities should be coordinated with Ankara, citing its 2019 maritime agreement with Libya. Greece rejects using that agreement to limit the planned surveys and says the project can proceed under its existing international arrangements. The dispute has shifted the issue from a technical programme into a broader geopolitical matter affecting scheduling and financing.
US political backing alongside continuing permitting requirements
The interconnector has also drawn renewed political support from the United States. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s backing for the project, linking it to efforts to diversify energy supply routes and strengthen regional energy security.
While American diplomatic involvement could help address some political obstacles, the immediate condition remains whether the planned seabed surveys can resume. The next milestone is approval and completion of the survey campaign, rather than additional statements of support.
