France is taking a larger role in the Great Sea Interconnector, strengthening Greece’s position as Athens prepares for renewed seabed surveys for the electricity cable linking Greece, Cyprus and Israel.
The growing French involvement could also give Paris a more direct role in managing Turkey’s objections to the project, including potentially confronting Ankara if tensions escalate.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis discussed the project during their meeting in Paris on September 9, on the sidelines of the International Space Summit.
According to Greek officials, Macron committed to ensuring that the research vessel carrying out seabed surveys on behalf of French cable manufacturer Nexans will sail under the French flag.
The move is significant because France would also undertake to notify Turkey and other coastal states about the planned seabed surveys and subsequent cable-laying operations.
Turkey objects to the project
The Great Sea Interconnector faces a major geopolitical obstacle in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Turkey disputing the authority to license activities in waters between the Greek islands and Cyprus.
Ankara maintains that Greek islands should not automatically generate continental shelf or exclusive economic zone rights.
Greece strongly rejects that position and maintains that its islands have full rights under international law.
The dispute has previously affected the interconnector directly.
In 2024, Turkish warships were deployed in the area, leading to the cancellation of seabed surveys by an Italian-flagged vessel working for Nexans east of the Greek islands of Kassos and Karpathos.
The latest plans therefore carry a potentially important change: the vessel conducting the new surveys will operate under the French flag.
French investment increases
France’s involvement has also grown financially.
French investment group Meridiam recently acquired a 66% stake in the Great Sea Interconnector, significantly increasing French participation in the project.
The interconnector was initially estimated to cost around €1.9 billion, although its final cost could approach €3 billion following delays and rising expenses.
The European Union has committed €657 million to the project, which it has designated a Project of Common Interest.
The cable is designed to connect the electricity grids of Greece, Cyprus and Israel, ending Cyprus’ status as the only EU member state without an electricity interconnection with the European grid.
Surveys expected soon
After years of delays, seabed surveys are expected to resume between late September and early November.
France is expected to issue a diplomatic communication informing the relevant coastal states before the surveys begin.
Greece will also issue a navigational warning through the NAVTEX system.
Athens has made clear that it will not seek Turkey’s permission to conduct the surveys.
That position could set the stage for another confrontation in the Eastern Mediterranean, but this time with a significantly greater French presence surrounding the project.
For Greece, the growing French role provides both financial backing and a powerful European partner as the country seeks to advance a major energy infrastructure project through waters at the centre of a long-running Greek-Turkish maritime dispute.
