Turkish president sends off Oruç Reis seismic research ship on mission to Somalia.

According to information published by the Turkish presidency on October 5, 2024, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan attended a send-off ceremony for Turkey's domestically developed seismic research vessel, Oruç Reis, as it departed for a mission in Somalia. The vessel's deployment follows an agreement signed in March between Turkey's Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and Somalia's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. This agreement covers onshore and offshore exploration blocks in Somalia.
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Turkish President Erdogan salutes the departure of the research ship Oruc Reis in Istanbul. (Picture source: Turkish presidency)

Accompanying this vessel are two G-class frigates, TCG Gediz and TCG Gokova, which are providing vital naval protection throughout the mission. These frigates, modernized versions of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class, have been extensively upgraded with advanced systems, including the GENESIS combat management system, to enhance their operational capabilities in complex maritime environments.

This deployment underscores Turkey's strategic interests in the Horn of Africa, where it has secured exploration rights in a 15,000-square-kilometer maritime zone off Somalia. The mission, expected to last around seven months, will see the Oruc Reis carrying out 3D seismic surveys in multiple license areas. The collected data will be critical in identifying potential drilling sites for future extraction operations.

The presence of Turkish naval forces highlights Ankara’s commitment to safeguarding its energy interests, particularly in regions where security risks, such as piracy or regional conflicts, remain high. This operation not only supports Turkey's expanding influence in Africa but also demonstrates the country's broader ambitions to secure energy resources beyond the Mediterranean, where the Oruc Reis previously conducted controversial explorations.

Background

The Oruc Reis research vessel has been at the center of several contentious explorations, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean, where Turkey's energy ambitions have brought it into direct conflict with neighboring countries such as Greece and Cyprus. The disputes largely stem from overlapping claims to Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) in the resource-rich waters of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey's controversial exploration missions began in 2020, when the Oruc Reis was deployed in areas around the Greek island of Kastellorizo, a region claimed by both Greece and Turkey under competing interpretations of maritime boundaries. Turkey argues that islands should not have full EEZs, a stance that diverges from the positions held by Greece and Cyprus, which rely on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Turkey is not a signatory to UNCLOS and insists on a more flexible interpretation of maritime boundaries to secure its interests in the region

These operations escalated tensions between Turkey and Greece, prompting responses such as naval deployments, diplomatic protests, and calls for EU sanctions against Turkey. Several near-miss military encounters occurred during this period, including confrontations between Turkish and Greek naval vessels. The situation became so heated that NATO intervened to establish a deconfliction mechanism to prevent accidental clashes between the two NATO allies​.