University finalizes Türkiye’s Maritime Spatial Planning in 1st study

ANKARA

Ankara University has released Türkiye’s first academic study on Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP), a strategic framework designed to ensure maximum benefit from the country’s surrounding seas while safeguarding national rights and interests.

The study by the university’s National Research Center for Maritime Law underlines MSP as a key tool for both conserving marine ecosystems and harnessing their economic potential.

In this regard, the study aligns with the "Blue Homeland" doctrine — Türkiye’s maritime policy concept that underscores its sovereign rights across the surrounding seas.

While the maps included in the study carry no legal authority and are presented purely as scientific assessments under international law, they reflect Türkiye’s maritime outlook.

In the Aegean Sea — a region marked by long-standing disputes with Greece — the study uses the "median line" between the two mainlands as a technical reference.

In the Black Sea, it fully overlaps with Türkiye’s declared Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), which are registered with the United Nations and are not subject to any conflict.

Türkiye has not yet officially adopted a nationwide MSP, but in recent years, significant progress has been made through collaborative efforts involving government agencies, universities, civil society and the private sector.

The next phase, according to the research center, will involve spatial planning for the maritime areas of Turkish Cyprus, with preparations already underway.

Greece unveils own MSP plan

Meanwhile, Greece on April 16 released its own Maritime Spatial Planning framework, co-signed by Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou.

In a written statement, the Greek Foreign Ministry emphasized that this is the first initiative to formally organize spatial regulations over the country’s maritime zones.

The statement highlighted that, for the first time, the potential outer limits of Greece’s continental shelf were included in an EU-level document.

It also mentioned Greece's goal of increasing its territorial waters in the Aegean Sea to 12 nautical miles.

Disagreements do not prevent talks: Athens

Noting that the Greek map could provoke a potential reaction from Türkiye, Athens said that it is open to talks to resolve disagreements.

"Disagreements do not mean we cannot negotiate."

Greece also claimed that the goal of withdrawing the maritime mile is a right that Athens reserves the option to exercise when it aligns with its national interests within the framework of international law.

In December 2024, Türkiye lashed out at the European Union (EU) for violating Türkiye’s rights in the Aegean and Mediterranean through maps it has published under the MSP.