Turkey deploys Oruç Reis for Mediterranean gas pipeline survey

Turkey has deployed the research vessel Oruç Reis to conduct scientific and underwater surveys in the Eastern Mediterranean. According to a NAVTEX issued by the Antalya Hydrographic Station, the mission is scheduled to run through October 25 and includes the support vessels Denar Pathfinder, Denar Echo, and Kırıcı.

The survey follows the planned route of a 97-to-101 kilometer undersea natural gas pipeline intended to link Turkey’s southern coast with northern Cyprus. Turkey and Turkish Cypriot authorities aim to have the project operational by 2028, initially to supply gas to power plants in northern Cyprus that currently use liquid fuel.

The deployment has heightened regional tensions. The Republic of Cyprus has raised objections with the United Nations, arguing that the project violates its sovereignty and maritime rights. Meanwhile, the mission coincides with ongoing friction regarding the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) project, an undersea electricity cable planned between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, which passes through areas where maritime jurisdiction claims between Ankara and Athens conflict.