Germany sends Berlin class ship Frankfurt am Main to Aegean Sea.

According to information published by the German MoD on July 14, 2023, the Berlin class replenishment ship Frankfurt am Main will cast off from its nest in Wilhelmshaven, charting a path towards the northeastern stretch of the Mediterranean Sea.
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German Berlin class replenishment ship Frankfurt am Main. (Picture source: German MoD)

Awaiting it in the depths of the Aegean Sea, an intricate ballet of cooperation with the Greek and Turkish Coast Guards, and the European entity in charge of border and coastal safety, FRONTEX. All this is part of the performance of the Standing Nato Maritime Group 2 (SNMG 2).

In an ongoing dance of collaboration, Turkish and Greek liaison officers, along with officials from FRONTEX, will also step onto the deck of the German warship, bridging the gap between their organizations and ensuring a swift current of information.

Aegean dispute

The Aegean Sea, shared by Greece and Turkey, has been a long-standing hotbed of disputes between these two nations. This body of water, with its strategic location and rich resources, has given rise to a complex web of issues encompassing territorial sovereignty, air and maritime boundaries, and exploitation of underwater resources.

The primary issue centers around territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs). Greece, invoking the international law of the sea (UNCLOS), argues that each of its numerous islands in the Aegean Sea has the right to project territorial waters and an EEZ of 200 nautical miles, or to the median line with the Turkish coast if the distance is less than 400 miles.

Disputes also arise over the air space above the Aegean Sea, specifically the areas where the national airspaces of Greece and Turkey overlap. While Greece claims a 10-nautical-mile airspace radius around its islands, as established by international law, Turkey recognizes only a 6-mile radius, leading to frequent encounters between their military aircraft. This situation presents a significant risk to peace in the region, heightening the possibility of unintentional confrontations.

Further complications stem from the issue of demilitarization. Some of the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea were demilitarized by the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) and the Treaty of Paris (1947). Turkey alleges that Greece has breached these agreements by stationing military personnel and weapons systems on these islands, escalating tensions in the region.

The region’s natural resources, specifically oil and gas reserves, add another layer to the dispute. Both nations assert rights to explore and exploit these underwater resources, leading to occasional stand-offs between research and drilling ships of both countries.