More than a month after being hit by an explosion, the Arctic Metagaz, a liquid natural gas (LNG) carrier belonging to Russia’s "shadow fleet", is adrift in the Mediterranean following a failed Libyan towing operation. The incident underscores the risks and crisis management challenges posed by these shadow vessels.
Issued on: 08/04/2026 - 14:28
According to Libyan media reports, forces loyal to the strongman of eastern Libya Khalifa Haftar dispatched a naval patrol vessel and a team of divers to monitor the Arctic Metagaz on Monday, April 6. The Russian LNG tanker has been drifting in the Mediterranean since a Libyan towing operation failed four days earlier.
This is the latest twist in a maritime saga that began on March 3 off the Libyan coast. The Arctic Metagaz caught fire following an explosion while carrying 60,000 tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) – natural gas cooled to -160°C to facilitate transport. All crew members were rescued.
Although Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the incident, Russia has accused Kyiv of targeting the tanker with naval drones launched from Libya. An investigation by RFI appears to support this claim.
