Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Saipem12000

The drill ship "Saipem 12000" has set sail for Morocco as of February 27, 2023, after being obstructed by the Turkish Navy from conducting gas exploration in Cypriot territorial waters. Planned to investigate a block within the Cyprus Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the vessel faced a two-week standstill due to the Turkish Navy's declaration of "military maneuvers" in the contested waters. Turkey called for a halt to offshore hydrocarbon exploration by the Republic of Cyprus, citing the "inalienable rights" of the Turkish-Cypriot community until a political resolution regarding the island, which has been divided since 1974, is achieved. After unsuccessful diplomatic efforts, the Saipem 12000 ultimately ceased its mission on February 23, following two weeks of blockage. The ship made a brief stop at the southern port of Limassol to refuel before continuing to Morocco, with plans to return to Cyprus when circumstances allow. Notably, prior to the blockade, energy companies Eni and Total had announced the discovery of substantial gas reserves in another block of the Cyprus EEZ, while Cyprus entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Greece, Israel, and Italy for the development of the world's longest submarine natural gas pipeline. Cypriot authorities remain optimistic, asserting that this incident is merely a setback that will not derail the nation’s ambitions in hydrocarbon exploration.

On February 23, a tense encounter unfolded in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Cyprus as Turkish warships aggressively confronted the drill ship 'Saipem 12000.' This incident forced the vessel, operated by energy company Eni, to execute critical maneuvers to prevent a potential collision. Reports indicate that four to five Turkish naval ships attempted to obstruct the drilling operations that have been stalled for weeks while Eni aimed to explore hydrocarbon reserves at Block 3, located off the coast of Cyprus. In a last-minute attempt before heading to Morocco, the Saipem 12000 navigated towards its designated surveying area. However, Turkish naval vessels reportedly threatened to sink the Italian drill ship, pushing the situation to the brink of disaster. Fortunately, the prompt actions of the Saipem 12000’s crew allowed them to avoid a catastrophic collision, after experiencing direct threats from the Turkish ships. Following the altercation, the Saipem 12000 altered its course westward, heading toward Morocco. This was not the first instance of friction; a similar confrontation took place two weeks earlier when the drill ship attempted to reach its surveying location. During that previous incident, a Turkish vessel deliberately set a collision course, which was narrowly avoided thanks to the skilled navigation of the Italian captain, despite his communication with the Turkish counterpart yielding no response. This ongoing situation highlights escalating tensions in the region and the complex geopolitical climate surrounding offshore energy exploration.

On February 9, 2018, a significant naval confrontation unfolded in the southeastern waters of Cyprus, within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Turkish Navy intervened to prevent the drilling vessel, 'Saipem 12000', from accessing the Block Offshore 3 gas field, thereby immobilizing the ship outside designated drilling zones. This incident is a continuation of rising tensions between Turkey and the northern segment of Cyprus. In response to this blockade, Greek-Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades issued a strong appeal on February 21, urging Turkey to cease its interference with gas exploration efforts. The government in Nicosia accused Ankara of breaching international law by obstructing the operations of the 'Saipem 12000', which is chartered by the Italian energy company Eni. Eni holds exploration licenses in the Cypriot EEZ, and this blockade follows a recent announcement from Nicosia revealing the discovery of substantial gas reserves in areas jointly explored by Eni and the French company Total.