A Cable across Contested Waters: The Great Sea Interconnector’s Promise and Risks

A seabed survey is usually an engineering step. For the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), it has become a test of how far Greece, Cyprus and Türkiye can manage their maritime dispute without letting it derail a major infrastructure project. In mid-October 2026, the GSI developer applied to resume surveys for the planned undersea electricity cable linking Greece and Cyprus, with a possible extension to Israel. Türkiye says the survey area overlaps with claims set out in its 2019 maritime agreement with Libya. Greece says it can proceed. The application has brought that agreement back into focus because someone must map the seabed before the cable route can be finalized and the parties disagree over who has the right to do […]