A significant development has emerged in the electrical interconnection between Crete and Cyprus, as an official work permit application has been submitted for the French-flagged vessel ABEILLE MARENGO. This move clears the path for the launch of submarine cable laying operations that will establish an energy connection between the two islands.
Crete-Cyprus electrical interconnection: The submarine survey application
The Ministry of Shipping has received the application concerning the conduct of a marine survey for the placement of direct-current submarine cables as part of the Great Sea Interconnector project. The submarine survey will be carried out exclusively within national territorial waters, according to the details of the application submitted to the competent authority. The vessel will undertake critical oceanographic and bathymetric operations between the maritime zone of Korakies in the Heraklion regional unit and the Cypriot maritime area. Next Geosolution Europe SA, which took over the project from NEXANS SA, is responsible for the preliminary submarine survey that will precede the cable-laying phase.
The licensing process, next steps, timeline, and technical details
Once the vessel’s licensing procedure is completed, a formal request for the official commencement of operations will follow. The process will conclude with the issuance of the necessary NAVTEX notices by the company implementing the electrical interconnection project. A key point to note is that the scheduled operations of this particular vessel are confined to Greek territorial waters. They do not concern — at least at this stage — the sensitive areas of the Greek Exclusive Economic Zone or the continental shelf east of Kasos, where Turkish objections have been raised.
The cable-laying works are scheduled for completion by 31 December 2026, unless an extension to the timeline becomes necessary. According to the application, there are currently no modifications to the survey route planned for the submarine cable’s scheduled installation and routing. The route remains identical to the one described in official documents, which served as the basis for all previous licensing approvals. The Great Sea Interconnector project is expected to transform the energy landscape of the broader region, creating an electrical link between Crete and Cyprus via a long-distance submarine cable.
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