Europe on edge: "Floating megabomb" ship denied entry
The damaged bulk carrier Ruby, flying the Maltese flag and carrying Russian fertilizers, has not been allowed to enter EU ports for several weeks, reports "The New York Times." There is concern that thousands of tons of ammonium nitrate might explode.
Journalists have determined that on August 22, the bulk carrier Ruby departed from the port of Kandalaksha in the Murmansk region of Russia. It was intended to deliver 22,000 tons (24,251 US tons) of ammonium nitrate to Africa. However, shortly after leaving the port, the ship ran aground, damaging the hull and propeller, among other components.
Bulk carrier with a "megabomb"
The situation forced the ship's captain to navigate along the coasts of Nordic countries in search of assistance. Norway permitted the damaged ship to enter the port of Tromso, where it remained from September 1 to 4. In Norway, the ship underwent inspection, and minor repairs were performed.
Inspectors found that the damage did not affect the cargo, and the fertilizer itself posed no threat; nevertheless, they directed the ship to another location for further repairs.
At the same time, inspectors insisted that a tug accompany the Ruby bulk carrier.
The ship's crew planned to sail to the Baltic Sea for repairs, which were supposed to be done in Lithuania. However, Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte stated that the bulk carrier would not be allowed into the port.
"Warned against possible Russian sabotage"
The Maltese authorities also did not allow the ship to dock, even though it sails under the Maltese flag and is owned by a company registered in that country. The authorities decided that the ammonium nitrate must be removed from the ship's deck before entering a port.
The bulk carrier then sailed back north, towards the United Kingdom. When the ship approached, the former Lithuanian ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, explained in a column for a European advisory group that the ship was a "floating megabomb." In this context, Bajarunas "warned against possible Russian sabotage."
"Unfortunately, due to the media speculation that has surrounded this vessel, port terminals in the U.K. are reticent to take the vessel in," stated Serenity Shipping, a company based in the Emirates that operates the ship.
Fearing a repeat of Beirut
The NYT notes that Europe fears a repeat of the incident that occurred in the port of Beirut, where on August 4, 2020, 2,750 metric tons (3,031 US tons) of ammonium nitrate exploded.
The explosion resulted from welding works in the warehouse where the ammonium nitrate was stored. Consequently, 280 people died, another seven thousand were injured, and about 300,000 were left homeless.
The economic losses caused by the disaster exceeded 15 billion dollars. Following the explosion, protests erupted in the country, leading to the resignation of the Lebanese government.
