A cargo ship that sustained damage in bad weather last month is currently docked at the Port of Great Yarmouth with thousands of tonnes of explosive fertiliser on board. The 20,000-tonne load of ammonium nitrate was transferred from the Maltese-registered MV Ruby to another vessel without any incident, and Port director Richard Goffin insisted that there was no danger to the surrounding area. The cargo was originally destined for Africa, according to Roger Gale, an MP for Kent. Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service is continuing to monitor the situation.
Serenity Ship Management, the vessel’s management company, said the load posed no risk to those around it, adding that the team at the port had safely handled materials such as these before. “Our role is to ensure that the MV Ruby is able to safely discharge and continue with its onward journey,” Goffin said.
The ship had been anchored about 11 miles (17 km) off the coast of Margate in Kent awaiting repairs to its hull and propeller. It set sail from the northern Russian port of Kandalaksha in July. Once the explosive fertiliser cargo has been removed from the beleaguered vessel, it will be repaired.
While incidents concerning vessels carrying ammonium nitrate have always been rare, the catastrophe of the explosion in Beirut more than a year ago has made the dangers it poses abundantly clear. The catastrophe resulted in a death toll of over 200 and widespread destruction across the city.
Nevertheless, there are still several thousand tonnes of ammonium nitrate transported across the globe every year. Despite the significant risk, the extreme versatility of the explosive means it is practically irreplaceable in a variety of industries
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