The 'Saipem 12000' which the Turkish navy prevented to drill in the Cypriot waters headed to Morocco on Feb 27 without carrying out the planned gas exploration
The 'Saipem 12000' which the Turkish navy prevented to drill in the Cypriot waters headed to Morocco on Feb 27 without carrying out the planned gas exploration. She was to explore a block of the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) but was blocked for two weeks by the Turkish Navy, under the pretext of 'military maneuvers' in the area. Ankara called for the suspension of offshore hydrocarbon exploration by the Republic of Cyprus, in the name of the 'inalienable rights' of the Cypriot-Turkish community, as long as a political solution in the divided island since 1974 has not been found. After diplomatic negotiations failed, the ship finally abandoned its mission on Feb 23 after two weeks of blockage at sea. The ship anchored off the southern port of Limassol to refuel before heading to Morocco. It will return to Cyprus when conditions permit. Just before the start of the blocking of the vessel, Eni and Total had announced the discovery of significant gas reserves in another block of the Cyprus EEZ, and Cyprus had signed with Greece, Israel and Italy a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of the world's longest submarine natural gas pipeline. The Cypriot authorities have assured that this episode is only a setback that would not question the country's strategy for hydrocarbon research.