Greece’s Foreign Ministry has finished issuing the survey and cable-laying permits for the Great Sea Interconnector. The planned subsea power link will connect Crete to Cyprus and could later be extended to Israel. T
he €1.9 billion project, with French firm Nexans building the cable, has stalled for months over disputes with Turkey about maritime zones. Roughly 40% of the remaining seabed surveys lie in waters both Greece and Turkey claim. Ankara now says it won’t object if it is notified in advance.
The permits move the project forward on paper, but construction hasn’t restarted. The case shows how undersea power cables now sit where energy security, grid integration and Mediterranean geopolitics meet.
Key Details:
- Cost and builder: Greek grid operator IPTO is building the cable in a project costing €1.9 billion, with a later stretch to Israel. Nexans has been contracted to build it.
- Route and surveys: About 60% of the seabed surveys are done; the remaining 40% lies in waters both Greece and Turkey claim. The full link would run 1,208 km: 898 km from Crete to Cyprus and 310 km from Cyprus to Israel.
- Turkey’s position: Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey won’t object to seabed surveys between Crete and Cyprus, as long as it is notified.
- Survey vessel: The Greek coast guard has approved the survey ship to operate through Dec. 31, 2026.