The Oruc Reis seismic exploration vessel is currently en route to T眉rkiye and is expected to arrive in early July after successfully completing its first intercontinental mission in Somali waters, the Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Ministry said on Monday.
The seismic vessel, developed with domestic resources, began its return journey, departing form the Port of Mogadishu, the ministry said in a statement.
The Oruc Reis, which was dispatched to Somalia by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from Istanbul on Oct. 5, 2024, completed its 234-day mission on June 6 after collecting three-dimensional seismic data across 4,464 square kilometers in three offshore blocks, it added.
The Oruc Reis and its accompanying fleet are expected to reach T眉rkiye in early July following an 18- to 20-day journey through the Suez Canal.
The vessel will pass through the Bosphorus Strait and dock at Filyos Port in T眉rkiye's Black Sea province of Zonguldak, where it will undergo maintenance and repairs ahead of its next mission.
All data collected by the vessel will be analyzed in the Turkish capital, Ankara, and based on the results, drilling operations are expected to begin at designated locations in Somalia's offshore blocks.
By Handan Kazanci
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr