Turkey to conduct seismic survey in eastern Mediterranean

Turkey's navy has issued an advisory saying that the Turkish ship Oruç Reis will carry out a seismic survey in the eastern Mediterranean over the next two weeks.

Turkey and Greece are at odds over overlapping claims for hydrocarbon resources in the region. A similar advisory, or Navtex, last month caused a row which was calmed after the intervention of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

However, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Friday Turkey had resumed energy exploration work in the region as Greece had not kept its promises on the issue.

Seismic surveys are part of preparatory work for potential hydrocarbon exploration. Turkey and Greece are also at odds over issues such as overflights in the Aegean Sea and ethnically divided Cyprus.
Minister of State George Gerapetritis told Greek state TV that Athens was in full "political and operational readiness." Greece stood ready to engage in a constructive dialogue with Turkey on their differences, he said.

ORUÇ REIS VESSEL ON NEW DUTY IN EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN

Turkey's MTA Oruç Reis seismic vessel have reached its new destination for conducting seismic research activity in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said on Monday.

"Our MTA Oruç Reis seismic research vessel, reached the operation area after departing from Antalya, for its new mission in Mediterranean. 83 million Turkish people support you, Oruç Reis," Dönmez wrote on Twitter.

Dönmez stressed that the search activities in Mediterranean and Black Sea will continue nonstop for achieving Turkey's energy independence.

As part of the country's hydrocarbon exploration activities, Turkey announced the drillship MTA Oruç Reis' new seismic research activity in the Eastern Mediterranean via NAVTEX (navigational telex) starting August 10, 2020.

Oruc Reis will continue its activities in the Eastern Mediterranean with Cengiz Han and Ataman vessels until August 23.

The seismic vessel was built by Turkish engineers in a domestic shipyard in Istanbul.

The vessel, which has 30 years of service life, can sail non-stop for 35 days.

The ship has a helicopter pad, hydrography and oceanography features and it has the ability to scan the sea-floor up to depth of 15,000 meters.

Turkey has consistently contested the Greek Cypriot administration's unilateral drilling in the Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) also has rights to the resources in the area.

In 1974, following a coup aiming at Cyprus's annexation by Greece, Ankara had to intervene as a guarantor power. In 1983, the TRNC was founded.

The decades since have seen several attempts to resolve the Cyprus dispute, all ending in failure. The latest one, held with the participation of the guarantor countries -- Turkey, Greece, and the U.K. -- came to an end without any progress in 2017 in Switzerland.