Media: Sanctioned ARCTIC METAGAZ LNG Tanker on Fire in the Mediterranean Sea

A fire reportedly broke out for unknown reasons aboard the ARCTIC METAGAZ (IMO 9243148) LNG tanker in the central Mediterranean Sea.

The industry media gCaptain reported on the incident.

The article uses the phrase “reportedly ablaze,” meaning there has been no official confirmation from government authorities or the vessel’s owner.

According to FlightRadar24, a maritime patrol aircraft is operating over the area of the incident.

Reports suggesting a Ukrainian drone attack have appeared in several Greek and other media outlets. However, these reports rely on secondhand accounts rather than official statements.

There is no confirmation of Ukrainian involvement. Ukrainian authorities have not commented on the incident.

ARCTIC METAGAZ (what is known)

• The vessel was built in 2003 and sails under the Russian flag.
• Its length is approximately 277 meters.
• It is listed in Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (DIU) War & Sanctions database.
• The vessel is subject to sanctions imposed by several countries for its involvement in transporting Russian LNG.
• The tanker is linked to the logistics of the Arctic LNG 2 project.
• In February 2026, it loaded cargo in Murmansk from the floating storage unit Saam FSU.

It is worth noting that recently, Ukraine struck a Russian shadow fleet tanker in neutral waters of the Mediterranean Sea.