Crete–Cyprus: licensing steps for the ABEILLE MARENGO surveys
The government confirms a Nexans application on behalf of GSI. Submission does not mean permission has been granted or work has begun.
Update 15.10.2026 · 23:59 Greek time — What changed: added government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis’s clarification at the 15 October 2026 press briefing about the applicant and the next licensing steps.
According to the spokesperson, French company Nexans submitted a licensing application on behalf of project owner GSI for survey and cable-laying work on the Greece–Cyprus electricity interconnection.
Which approvals the government identifies
Marinakis identified permissions from EXAETH and the Coast Guard as required steps and linked the start of work to completion of the prescribed procedures. His statement does not announce that these permissions have already been issued or give a start date.
The earlier official posting
On 14 October, the Coast Guard posted an exemption application for the French-flagged ABEILLE MARENGO, IMO 9388613, for marine survey work on the Crete–Cyprus direct-current cable project, the Great Sea Interconnector.
This administrative step and the government’s confirmation remain distinct from granting permission, issuing a NAVTEX and actually starting survey or cable-laying work. They do not by themselves establish that operations have begun.
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