Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis may sign on Friday the permit French company Nexans requested to resume marine surveys south-east of Karpathos for the Great Sea Interconnector, Greek media continue to report. If confirmed, his signature would clear the way for the Greek authorities to issue a navtex.
According to the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), a few final steps remain before the navtex can be issued, possibly over the weekend, by the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service.
ERT reported that Nexans has contracted Italy’s Next Geosolutions Europe SpA to carry out the surveys. The Italian company has already sent the Greek Foreign Ministry the coordinates of the areas to be surveyed in the coming months.
Greek media also report that the Turkish government is aware of the procedures under way and of the upcoming navtex. It is regarded as certain that the Turkish side will then issue a so-called counter-navtex, as it has repeatedly done for work in the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of Greece and Cyprus, without this hindering the surveys at sea.
Once the navtex is issued, it will take a few days for final technical procedures to be completed before the Abeille Marengo sets sail from Heraklion port, where it has been docked for several days.
