On 24 March, Libyan officials said that they had brought the Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz under control while it was drifting inside of Libya’s territorial waters near Zuwara towards Libya’s western coast. The tanker was tilting on one side, with its hull blackened from a fire. The Libyan tugs were supported by the Maridive 701, a specialized vessel belonging to the Egyptian offshore marine and oil support service company Maridive.
Zuwara Municipality warned of potential environmental risks. They stressed that protecting the marine environment and coastal residents must be a priority. Officials also cautioned against focusing solely on safeguarding offshore oil infrastructure while overlooking wider environmental threats that could directly affect coastal communities. The municipality called for transparent communication and swift, coordinated measures to address any fallout from the drifting vessel.
Government of National Unity (GNU) Transport Minister Muhammed al‑Shahoubi said that the NOC has been assigned to unload the Russian tanker’s cargo and is coordinating, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Russian and Maltese authorities to ensure the safety of maritime navigation in the Mediterranean. A specialized committee to manage the incident has been established. In a later statement on the towing operation, the NOC said there had been ‘no leakage of the cargo so far,’ adding that the environmental situation remained stable with no signs of imminent risk.
On 25 March, the Libyan Coast Guard continued to tow the tanker away from the shore towards international water and further on towards the east to reduce the risk of pollution in the case of another explosion or the sinking of the ship.
Russian Ambassador to Libya Aydar Aganin, in a meeting with acting GNU Minister of Foreign Affairs Taher al-Baour, praised the efforts of the Libyan authorities in handling the Russian LNG tanker Arctic Metagas, emphasizing the role of the relevant authorities in ensuring the ship’s safety and preventing any environmental risks.
HoR member Miloud al‑Aswad demanded a full investigation into the attack on the Russian LNG tanker near Libya which would reveal those responsible for the incident. He warned that the incident exposed serious gaps in the country’s emergency preparedness and raised risks of foreign meddling. The HoR member criticized the lack of a coordinated environmental response plan, the country’s dependence on foreign assistance, and the failure to activate a long‑discussed national emergency framework. Al-Aswad argued that Libya’s strategic location makes such shortcomings especially dangerous for its sovereignty and stability.
On 26 March, the NOC said that operations to tow the Arctic Metagaz are continuing successfully and the environmental situation remains stable. A specialized team to measure gas emissions has detected no leakage from the ship’s cargo so far by. A tug from the Misrata Free Zone Port has joined the efforts.
On 27 March, the director of Misrata Free Zone Port said he is confident the damaged Russian tanker will reach its destination soon to begin offloading its cargo. The towline snapped when waves exceeded seven meters, but the tanker remains on course and under control. It is currently 30 nautical miles off Libya’s coast, and the towline is expected to be reattached around midnight as weather conditions improve. The tanker is being towed at one knot using a single line because damage to its stern prevents using more than one.
On 30 March, the tugs and the Arctic Metagaz were north of Misrata. In the morning, the spokesman of the committee for the management of the incident said that the tanker was being moved away from the Libyan coast to prevent any maritime environmental hazards. The plan is to unload the tanker’s cargo once it reaches a safe location outside Libyan waters. The NOC is contracting an international company to handle the tanker’s cargo.