Turkey’s drilling rig Abdulhamid Han makes port – The three scenarios

Greek authorities have no concern, at this stage, about the course set by the Turkish floating drilling rig Abdulhamid Han, as it continues to circle up to 15 nautical miles outside the port of Tasucu, on the coast opposite northern Cyprus.

In fact, at noon on Tuesday, according to the Marine Traffic website, the ship is again inside the port.

Despite all this, Ankara still does not publicly disclose the area where the vessel is expected to carry out research, although the most likely scenario is still the one that wants the Abdulhamid Han sailing in the Cypriot EEZ and perhaps in a plot licensed by the Republic of Cyprus.

Turkey had announced the exit on August 9

In any case, it is recalled that the Turks have announced the exit of the vessel and its escort for August 9. Turkey’s Energy Minister, Fatih Donmez, had stated that the drilling rig would conduct research “within Turkish maritime areas of responsibility”.

As Agence France-Presse reported, “the Turkish drilling rig Adbulhamid Han will begin a mission in the Mediterranean on August 9, departing from the port of Mersina” in the south of the country.

The three scenarios…

The one area in the Cypriot EEZ that the drill could head to to is northwest of Cyprus, between Cyprus and Turkey, after the 30th meridian. East of Kastellorizos. Where Fatih conducted the relevant investigations in 2019.

It is an area where the Republic of Cyprus has not designated “plots”, however as Professor of International Law at the University of Piraeus, Petros Liakouras pointed out, this is an undefined area, in which Turkey has no right to proceed with research and drilling.

The second scenario is for the Turkish drilling rig to move to the Gulf of Karpasia, where Turkey had conducted surveys in 2018 and 2019, where Ankara also has no rights, as it is an occupied area and violates the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus, as the professor notes.

The third scenario concerns the areas south-west of Cyprus, in block 6.

“Approximately half of block 6 is claimed by Turkey as part of the Turkish continental shelf, in the framework of demarcation between Turkey and Egypt, not taking into account Cyprus. Turkey, if it begins drilling, has violated the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus”, said Petros Liakouras.

These are three areas where Turkey has conducted investigations in the past.