Italy, France and seven other countries have written a joint letter to the European Commission saying that the Russian liquefied gas tanker Arctic Metagaz, which has been left adrift in the Mediterranean, poses a threat to shipping and the environment, Reuters reports.
The Russian Foreign Ministry acknowledged that the ship is drifting in the Mediterranean and said that Moscow’s further involvement in resolving the situation depends on specific circumstances.
The European countries’ letter to the EC says that the Arctic Metagaz is drifting between the coasts of Malta and Italy. This poses a double challenge: first, it threatens the safety of shipping, and second, it is necessary to prevent a threat to the environment. The countries have stated that the unsafe condition of the ship, together with the cargo it is carrying, raises serious concerns about a major ecological disaster in the heart of the EU’s shipping area.
The European Union has said that the Arctic Metagaz is part of Russia’s shadow fleet – tankers in poor technical condition, with fake flags and documentation, which are used to circumvent sanctions. Therefore,
any action to resolve the situation would undermine the unity, effectiveness and deterrent effect of the EU sanctions regime.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has announced that Moscow is in contact with the ship’s owner and the relevant foreign authorities. There is no crew on board the ship, and it is carrying around 700 tonnes of various types of fuel and a significant amount of liquefied natural gas. Zakharova stressed that the international law applicable to the specific situation stipulates that the problem must be resolved by the countries around the sea. Russia’s further involvement as the flag state and shipowner depends on certain circumstances.
After the ship sank, the Russian Transport Ministry said that it had been attacked by Ukrainian drones, which were launched from the coast of Libya. The Libyan shipping agency reported on the 4th of March that the ship had sunk between the Libyan and Maltese coasts. Kyiv has not claimed responsibility for the attack on the Arctic Metagaz.
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