Greece has issued a counter-NAVTEX rejecting Turkey’s authority to announce geophysical surveys by the research vessel KOBI RUEGG in the Eastern Mediterranean, stating that most of the designated coordinates fall within the Greek continental shelf.
The Hellenic Navy’s Hydrographic Service issued the notice through the Heraklion Hydrographic Station on Tuesday evening, 20 October 2026, in response to Turkish NAVTEX FA41-1032/26, which the Antalya station had issued earlier that day.
The Greek notice describes the Turkish station as unauthorised and states that most of the coordinates specified for the planned surveys lie within the Greek continental shelf, as defined by international law and Greek Law 4001/2011.
The latest exchange comes amid renewed tensions over maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean, just hours after the House of Representatives in eastern Libya approved the Turkish-Libyan maritime memorandum.
Turkey Announces Geophysical Surveys
Turkey’s Antalya station issued the original NAVTEX on Tuesday, announcing geophysical surveys in maritime areas south of Rhodes, east of Crete and west of Cyprus.
According to the Turkish notice, the research vessel KOBI RUEGG was due to begin operations on Wednesday, 21 October. The notice instructed passing vessels to maintain a safety distance of five nautical miles from the research ship.
Ankara maintains that the activities have the approval and coordination of the relevant Turkish authorities, asserting its authority to issue navigational notices for the designated maritime areas.
Greece disputes that authority, arguing that most of the coordinates in the Turkish notice fall within its continental shelf under international law and Greek legislation.
Turkish-Libyan Memorandum Adds to Tensions
The latest maritime dispute coincides with the approval of the Turkish-Libyan maritime memorandum by the House of Representatives in eastern Libya, a development that has drawn strong reactions from Athens and the European Union.
Greece considers the agreement contrary to international law. The memorandum seeks to establish a maritime boundary between Turkey and Libya while disregarding the maritime entitlements of Greek islands.
The European Union has described the memorandum as invalid and without legal effect, while reiterating its support for the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus.
Greek assessments link Turkey’s recent activity to Ankara’s broader efforts to strengthen its presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, as regional countries advance major energy projects and exploration plans.
These include the Great Sea Interconnector, the planned electricity link between Greece and Cyprus, and proposed hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete involving US energy company Chevron.
Libya has already expressed objections to the planned exploration, adding another complication to efforts to delimit maritime zones in the region.
(Source: AMNA)
The post Greece Challenges Turkish Survey Claims in Maritime Showdown appeared first on Greek City Times.