Athens announced Thursday that the developer of an EU-backed undersea power cable project in the eastern Mediterranean has applied for a license to resume seabed surveys, a critical step toward advancing the long-delayed initiative.
The Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project plans to connect the European mainland to Cyprus and, subsequently, Israel, though it faces opposition from Turkey.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a visit to Athens, affirmed strong American commitment to the initiative, stating it supports energy supply diversification—a priority driven by Russia’s war in Ukraine and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Greece’s power grid operator IPTO is overseeing the €1.9 billion ($2.13 billion) scheme. According to Greek government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, French contractor Nexans has applied for a permit to survey the seabed on behalf of the GSI.
Project progress has been hampered by a dispute between Greece and Turkey over the maritime zone designated for cable installation.
Greece aims to resume seabed surveys soon to finalize the route, though Turkey insists that prior coordination is required, as the proposed path crosses an area governed by a 2019 maritime agreement with Libya that Athens has rejected.
Marinakis indicated that surveys would be conducted by a French vessel and would commence only after approval from a Greek ministerial committee overseeing marine research permits and the Greek Coast Guard.
“Regarding project implementation, Greece has coordinated only with French and Cypriot authorities—which is the obvious case,” Marinakis stated.
Rubio noted last week that the United States will employ diplomacy to help remove any obstacles facing the project.
