A damaged Russian liquefied natural gas carrier Arctic Metagaz is adrift off the Libyan coast.
Libya’s National Oil Corporation said it has engaged a specialised company to deal with the damaged Russian tanker Arctic Metagaz, which is drifting towards the Libyan coast.
According to the company, the vessel is planned to be towed to a Libyan port. The company assured that now the country’s oil infrastructure is not threatened by pollution and environmental risks “can be largely controlled”. A special crisis headquarters has been set up to coordinate actions.
At the same time, Italy, France, Spain and a number of other southern EU countries have appealed to the European Commission with a warning that the tanker poses “an imminent and serious threat of a major environmental disaster”.
The vessel was carrying liquefied natural gas from the Russian port of Murmansk and has been without crew since early March. According to the Russian Transport Ministry, the tanker was allegedly hit by Ukrainian maritime drones. Ukrainian authorities have not yet publicly commented on the claim.
After the damage near the Libyan coast, the vessel lost control and is gradually approaching the shore under the influence of wind and waves.
The contract for the emergency work was awarded through the Mellitah Oil and Gas joint venture in co-operation with Italian energy company Eni.
Italian officials estimate that the tanker is carrying about 450 tonnes of fuel oil and 250 tonnes of diesel, as well as an undetermined amount of LNG, some of which may have already regasified and dispersed.
In January 2026, France and allies detained the Grinch in the Mediterranean, and in February it was released with a fine of “several million euros” for failing to justify the use of the flag. In late September 2025, the French military detained the tanker Boracay but later released it as well. Both of these vessels are also considered to be tankers in Russia’s shadow fleet, which Russia uses to circumvent sanctions and restrictions on oil sales.
A damaged Russian gas carrier drifts off the coast of Libya