Turkey has announced plans for a research vessel to conduct surveys in the central Aegean Sea, renewing tensions with Greece over disputed maritime zones just weeks after a similar, unfulfilled notice was issued.
Turkish authorities issued a NAVTEX, or navigational advisory, late Thursday saying that the Piri Reis research vessel will operate west of the Greek islands of Chios and Lesvos from Oct. 4-14.
Parts of the designated area are over what Greece considers its continental shelf.Athens has not yet officially responded to the new advisory.
When Turkey issued a nearly identical NAVTEX in September for the same vessel, Greece responded by announcing a military exercise in the area, and the Piri Reis ultimately did not sail.
The move comes amid a complex geopolitical backdrop in the Eastern Mediterranean, with both NATO allies asserting conflicting claims over maritime boundaries and potential energy resources.