A cargo ship named Ruby, with a Maltese flag, is scheduled to travel through UK waters with thousands of tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser, a material that could potentially explode. The ship, owned by Maltese company Ruby Enterprise, reportedly saw several countries reject its cargo before setting off from Kandalaksha in July 2021. HM Coastguard, the national maritime emergency service, is keeping tabs on the ship, and marine traffic data showed its presence off the Kent coast in the North Sea on 7 October.
While the cargo poses no immediate threat, this chemical caused a catastrophic explosion at a Beirut warehouse in 2020. Although ammonium nitrate is commonly transported for use as fertiliser worldwide, it also functions as an explosive. The Ruby carries seven times more of the material that triggered the Beirut blast.
The Ruby’s journey was not without complications. After leaving Russia, the ship ran aground briefly when it encountered a storm. It then continued sailing around the Kola Peninsula and finally docked in the city of Tromsø, Norway. The vessel was scrutinised by DNV Group on behalf of Norway’s Maritime Authority, which verified it met safety and environmental regulations. The Ruby was designated seaworthy, but its hull, rudder, and propeller were harmed. As a safety measure, DNV Group, as well as the Maltese flag registry, insisted that an escort tug accompany the ship for the remainder of its journey.
Despite the safety measures and examination, the Ruby faced bans from entering Swedish and Lithuanian waters. Recently, the vessel sailed southward along Norway’s coast and through the North Sea. While it is unknown whether it affected the ship’s manoeuvrability, the Ruby anchored around 15 miles northeast of Margate, Kent, near the Dover Strait, one of the world’s busiest waterways, on 25 September. Its final destination, according to records, is Marsaxlokk in Malta, where local authorities have instructed the ship to discharge its cargo before docking
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