Malta Assists in Maritime Emergency Near Libyan Waters
When an explosion rocked an LNG tanker in the central Mediterranean earlier this week, Malta’s rescue authorities moved quickly to assist, even though the incident happened outside the country’s search and rescue zone.
The alert came after the Moscow Coordination Centre and the ship’s company communicated with the government about an emergency involving the vessel Arctic Metagaz. The coordinates provided—34°17’ North and 017°04’ East—placed the incident inside the Libyan Search and Rescue (SAR) region, making Libyan authorities responsible for coordinating the response. Still, Malta stepped in to assist.
The Armed Forces of Malta issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and dispatched a King Air surveillance aircraft to verify the situation. The aircraft located the distressed vessel at 3:58pm and later spotted a lifeboat with crew on board at 4:52pm. Acting on behalf of Libyan authorities, Malta’s coordination centre requested assistance from the tanker Respect, which was 33 nautical miles away.
All crew members were subsequently rescued and transferred safely aboard Respect. Two of the rescued crew members later received medical assistance in Libya. Malta’s aircraft remained on scene until the transfer was completed, while authorities continued monitoring the abandoned vessel.
Russia’s Shadow Fleet Sails Past Malta
According to a Mediterranean maritime security expert who spoke to MaltaToday on condition of anonymity, ships belonging to Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ travel around Malta constantly. Authorities have been increasing their monitoring capacity in recent years. Malta has invested in maritime screening systems to better identify high-risk vessels and to carry out proper due diligence on ships bunkering off the island.
The concern is not just geopolitical. It is environmental. Shadow fleet vessels are typically older tankers, sometimes more than 20 years old, that would otherwise be nearing retirement. Many operate without proper Western insurance and with minimal regulatory oversight. If one of them were to suffer a serious accident in the Mediterranean, the consequences could be severe. An oil spill close to Maltese waters could affect desalination plants that produce drinking water through reverse osmosis, as well as cooling systems connected to the country’s energy infrastructure.
The Sanctions Loophole at Sea
The shadow fleet emerged after sweeping sanctions were imposed on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The European Union, the United States and G7 partners introduced restrictions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy, including oil and gas, which account for roughly 60% of Russia’s export earnings and about 40% of its government revenues. One goal was to limit the Kremlin’s ability to finance its war.
In response, Russia began assembling a network of vessels capable of transporting its oil outside Western oversight. The fleet uses ships with ownership and insurance structures beyond EU and G7 jurisdictions, allowing them to continue trading Russian oil with countries that have not joined the sanctions regime. According to research by the Kyiv School of Economics’ KSE Institute, Russia has since expanded its shadow fleet to include over 600 vessels, many of which operate in the Mediterranean.
Original Article: Russia’s shadow fleet sails past Malta all the time. Here’s why that’s a concern — Com