A damaged cargo ship carrying 20,000 tonnes of potentially explosive fertiliser from Russia is currently anchored some 15 miles off Margate.
HM Coastguard is in contact with the vessel, MV Ruby, and will continue to monitor its progress towards and through UK waters.
The cargo ship,which is Maltese registered and carrying the ammonium nitrate cargo, previously reported a cracked hull and damage to its propeller and rudder but has since been deemed seaworthy. The vessel is seeking a port in which to dock to undergo repairs.
The ship set off from the northern Russian port of Kandalaksha in August with its current destination listed as Malta. It is reported that it may be denied entry unless it empties its cargo first.
The vessel is making her own way, accompanied by an escort tug. She is reportedly carrying seven times more ammonium nitrate than the amount that caused an explosion that destroyed part of Beirut in 2020, killing 200 people.
Nigel Scutt, of Dover Strait Shipping, outlined the vessel’s current situation: “Soon after loading and leaving Kandalaksha, Russia, on August 22nd, Ruby encountered a storm four days later and ran aground in Norwegian territorial waters, whilst seeking shelter.
“Her grounding resulted in hull, rudder and propeller damage. As a distressed ship, requiring a port of refuge, three countries refused to admit the vessel into port, no doubt mindful of her cargo. One did allow the vessel to berth temporarily, the Norwegian port of Breivika, Tromso. The only problem there was that the berth was just 500 metres from one of the largest hospitals in the country, not to mention a university and many hundreds of homes.
“Ruby was rapidly inspected and soon after, was instructed to depart and after stooging around the Baltic for a period, departed those waters, for a transit of the Straits, her stated AIS destination, Malta. No official word has been forthcoming, confirming whether the Maltese port of Marsaxlokk or Valetta is prepared to receive her either. Ruby’s AIS data periodically changes between the two.
“Up until yesterday, Ruby was accompanied by the Malta-flagged tug Amber II, which, according to her AIS data is now bound for Rotterdam, but a similar anchor handling tug, Opal, operated by the same company, looks to be taking over the escort duty, her stated AIS destination being La Spezia, Italy.
“The voyage will not be an easy one. In essence, will any port agree to let her discharge her cargo? Perhaps, the vessel will lay off somewhere and tranship part cargoes to smaller ships. And perhaps, in the worse case scenario, she could founder.
HM Coastguard says it has 24/7 capability to respond to requests for assistance and to ensure the safety of shipping within UK waters.
