The process of resuming surveys for cable laying in the Eastern Mediterranean seems to be in its final stages.
According to the Greek public broadcaster ERT, the French-flagged research vessel "Abeille Marengo" has set sail from the port of Naples to Heraklion, Crete, where it is expected to arrive on Tuesday, 27 October.
The vessel’s operator, Nexans, has applied for a licence to carry out underwater surveys, both oceanographic and bathymetric, between Crete and Cyprus, to facilitate the laying of the GSI cable.
Once the vessel arrives in Heraklion and preparations are complete, it will await the issuance of the NAVTEX before commencing the surveys. According to information by ERT, the NAVTEX is due to be issued in early November.
It is added that on the afternoon of Friday, 23 October, the research vessel KOBI RUEGG set sail from Heraklion. It will commence surveys in roughly the same area of the Greek continental shelf for the laying of the other telecommunications cable linking Saudi Arabia with Greece, for which the Heraklion station has issued a NAVTEX valid from 23 to 30 October.
(Source: CNA)
