The ship that nobody wants: Damaged vessel carrying 20,000-ton explosive cargo stays moored off Kent coast amid fears it may not even be seaworthy
A damaged vessel carrying 20,000 tons of explosive cargo remains moored off the Kent coast after being denied entry at other ports over safety fears.
A damaged vessel carrying 20,000 tons of explosive cargo remains moored off the Kent coast after being denied entry at other ports over safety fears.
The cargo ship, nicknamed the Ruby, has been located just outside British waters near Margate loaded with ammonium nitrate fertiliser.
Flying under the flag of Malta, the ship originally set sail from Russia and is now awaiting permission to enter the Strait of Dover, whilst travelling with the assistance of a tugboat.
It is seeking a port in which to dock to undergo repairs for its cracked hull, having been turned away from Danish and Lithuanian waters due to concerns over its explosive cargo.
Just 2,750 tonnes of this fertiliser caused the explosion that devastated Beirut in 2020 - causing 218 deaths and more than 7,000 injuries.
UK officials are currently monitoring the situation carefully, with experts questioning why the ship had not been ordered to return to Russia.
A Russian cargo ship (pictured) loaded with explosives was spotted off the coast of Kent
The cargo ship, nicknamed the Ruby, has been located just outside British waters near Margate loaded with ammonium nitrate fertiliser
Just 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser. caused the explosion that devastated Beirut , Lebanon, in 2020, causing 218 deaths and more than 7,000 injuries
Jens Wenzel Kristoffersen, a defence analyst at Nordic Defense Analysis and a former naval officer, said the ships poor condition and cargo were an environmental risk.
He told Danish Media: One can question whether it is at all justifiable for the ship to be allowed to sail. There are several reasons for this.
It has cracks in the hull. It has rudder problems. It can no longer sail by itself, but must be towed.
This is a ship that nobody wants, but that nobody can get rid of.
According to marine tracking data, Rubys final destination is Malta. In order to get there, it is looking to enter the Dover strait.
The boat is currently located three kilometers outside British waters, north of Margate and east of the Thames Estuary. The tugboat which has accompanied it from Norway is also under the Maltese flag.
If it wishes to continue on its journey, it must report its presence, including ship condition and any hazardous cargo, to the British authorities.
It has also been told by the Maltese transport ministry that it must empty its cargo before entering their waters.
The Ruby is believed to have had the fertiliser loaded on at Kandalaksha, on the Kola peninsula in Russia, where it also set sail.
Seeking repairs, it then docked in the Norwegian city of Tromso, where the authorities found six deficiencies including a cracked hull, unlawful fuel, various safety issues and expired crew documents.
It has also been reported to have engine and rudder issues.
Dubbed the floating bomb, the vessel also known at the Ruby was recorded by VesselFinder as being near Margate
Norwegian officials moved the ship on amidst fears its explosive cargo posed a risk to the city, having been moored near a major hospital and university.
It has since travelled south and briefly moored near to the Andoya Nato air base.
When it requested permission to go to Klaipeda in Lithuania for repairs, the Lithuanian foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said: When we are dealing with Russia or other international actors that are unfriendly to us, we always keep this possibility in mind.
In other words, we have to be better prepared, more prepared, more cautious than when dealing with another state.
Mr Landsbergis added that there was no evidence of malicious behaviour, but said the ship could only dock in the country if the boat first offloaded the fertiliser.
Ammonium nitrate is significantly less explosive than TNT and requires a significant trigger, which makes it generally safe and stable during transport.
However if it is stored poorly it can become a hazard. This was seen in Beirut in 2020, when more than 2,750 tons of the material detonated when a fire apparently sparked by a welder spread to a warehouse where it had been stored alongside fireworks for six years.
Whilst the Rubys background remains unclear, it is currently owned by a Dubai-registered management company, which appears to operate out of the Syrian port of Tartus.
It has also been chartered by another Dubai-registered company with links to Russia.
The HM Coastguard says it is currently contact with the vessel and will continue to monitor its progress towards and through UK waters.
