Greece and France weigh GSI cable reroute to avoid Turkish marine park

Great Sea Interconnector energy security Mediterranean geopolitics submarine cable maritime boundaries

Greece and France are discussing a potential rerouting of the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), a major submarine electricity cable project intended to link Crete with Cyprus and eventually Israel. The proposed modification aims to bypass the Fethiye-Kas marine park, a zone unilaterally declared by Turkey in August 2026 near Kastellorizo.

This strategic adjustment is intended to mitigate geopolitical risks and avoid direct confrontation with Ankara, which claims jurisdiction over the area and demands that activities in its perceived continental shelf receive Turkish permission. In contrast, Athens and Paris intend to proceed by notifying Turkey of upcoming seabed surveys under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, rather than seeking its formal consent.

The GSI project, estimated to cost approximately 1.9 billion euros, has seen increased French involvement. The infrastructure firm Meridiam recently acquired a 66% stake in the project, and the French company Nexans has been selected for cable manufacturing and installation. Additionally, Greece is evaluating the extension of its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles south and west of Crete as part of its broader maritime strategy.

Entities

France · Great Sea Interconnector · Greece · Meridiam · Nexans · Turkey

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 8 SOURCES] Greece and France are considering a slight redesign of the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) route. cretaone.gr · actualidad.rt.com · greekcitytimes.com · www.sigmalive.com · www.amynanet.gr · +3 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Greece and France plan to notify Turkey of upcoming seabed surveys rather than seeking its permission. actualidad.rt.com · greekcitytimes.com · www.amynanet.gr · cretaone.gr · veteranos.gr · +3 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Turkey demands to grant permission for activities in areas it claims as part of its continental shelf. cretaone.gr · actualidad.rt.com · greekcitytimes.com · www.sigmalive.com · www.amynanet.gr · +3 more
[● 6 SOURCES] The French company Nexans has been selected to manufacture and install the cable. actualidad.rt.com · greekcitytimes.com · www.amynanet.gr · cretaone.gr · veteranos.gr · +1 more
[● 7 SOURCES] The rerouting aims to avoid the Fethiye-Kas marine park declared by Turkey. cretaone.gr · actualidad.rt.com · greekcitytimes.com · www.sigmalive.com · www.amynanet.gr · +2 more
[● 6 SOURCES] The French infrastructure firm Meridiam acquired a 66% stake in the GSI project. actualidad.rt.com · greekcitytimes.com · www.amynanet.gr · cretaone.gr · veteranos.gr · +1 more
[● 6 SOURCES] Greece is considering extending its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles south and west of Crete. cretaone.gr · greekcitytimes.com · www.sigmalive.com · www.amynanet.gr · veteranos.gr · +1 more
[● 2 SOURCES] The GSI project has an estimated cost of approximately 1.9 billion euros. actualidad.rt.com · greekcitytimes.com