Ruby, which sails under the Maltese flag, is currently in the North Sea, reportedly heading towards Malta – but it will not be allowed to dock there, confirms a spokesperson for the Transport Department for the newspaper Malta Today.
MV Ruby is carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate and suffered damage to its hull during loading in a Russian port on the Kola Peninsula. It then sought emergency harbor in Norwegian Tromsø to unload and repair, but was denied permission.
The vessel will only be allowed to enter a Maltese port if the cargo is unloaded, otherwise it will not be allowed to enter Maltese territorial waters, says the spokesperson.
Ammonium nitrate is a chemical that was behind the massive explosion in Beirut's harbor in Lebanon in 2020 – although in much smaller quantities.
When handled properly, it should not pose a risk, and the substance is handled daily in, among other places, Swedish harbors. According to the Coast Guard, ammonium nitrate is classified as hazardous goods, but the authority considers the transport to be "part of the normal picture".
