On 16 March, a group of nine EU countries, including Italy and France, warned the European Commission that a drifting Russian LNG tanker, the Arctic Metagaz, poses a serious environmental and safety risk in the Mediterranean Sea, particularly in waters between Malta and Italy.
According to Reuters, the ship is reportedly carrying around 700 metric tons of fuel along with a significant amount of liquefied natural gas, raising fears of a major ecological disaster if the situation is not quickly addressed. EU officials described the vessel as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.” However, they noted that intervening to stabilize or monitor the tanker could create a dilemma by potentially weakening the effectiveness of those sanctions. The European states urged swift coordinated action to ensure maritime safety while avoiding environmental damage.
Russia, through its Foreign Ministry and spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, confirmed the vessel is adrift and said it is in contact with relevant parties but emphasized that responsibility largely lies with nearby coastal countries under international law, Reuters reports. Moscow also indicated its further involvement would depend on specific circumstances.
Earlier, Russia claimed the tanker had been attacked by Ukrainian naval drones after departing Murmansk, though this has not been confirmed by Ukraine.
Source : Safety4sea
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