Survey Other Start

DELAYED delayed (Apr 2026): World Bank ESPIRE Phase 1 documents and GSE’s ESIA TOR show that ESIA fieldwork, including benthic and other environmental and social surveys, will follow the feasibility and seabed‑survey preparation. A Mar‑2025 ISR notes Phase 1 only became effective in Feb‑2025, and a Jan‑2026 Argus interview points to 2027–28 for marine studies and ESIA. This implies the additional E&S field surveys start around 2027. --- Following completion of the feasibility study, the project sponsors plan to initiate additional environmental and social field surveys for the Black Sea Submarine Cable Project, including benthic and submerged man‑made objects investigations of the Black Sea seabed and a full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the submarine cable system and associated overhead lines. GSE and World Bank project documents state that these ESIA and specialised environmental and social surveys will be undertaken under Phase 1 but had not yet started when those documents were prepared.