A Russian-linked ship carrying seven times more explosive chemicals than caused the devastating 2020 Beirut blast has now docked in a British port.
After being refused entry to a host of other countries, the Maltese-flagged cargo ship Ruby arrived at the Norfolk port of Great Yarmouth on Monday morning.
Ruby had been seen off the Kent coast at the end of last month after being forced to leave the Norwegian port of Tromso on September 4 over safety fears about its cargo – a mere three days after it docked there to seek shelter from a storm.
The vessel had been packed with its explosive load at a port in Kandalaksha in northern Russia – where it is thought to have cracked its hull after running aground.
Ruby had sailed from western Russia to the Kent coast via Norway – and has now docked in Norfolk
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After heading from Russia to Norway, Ruby once again tried to make port in Lithuania, but was rebuffed due to safety concerns.
It is understood that the ship is laden with some 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate – seven times as much as the 2,750 tonnes which exploded in Lebanese capital Beirut in 2020.
And that fact led defence analyst Jens Wenzel Kristoffersen to name it “a ship that nobody wants, but that nobody can get rid of”.
Both the vessel and its Maltese-flagged tug had travelled all the way down from the Arctic desperately seeking refuge and repairs, with Malta earmarked as their eventual destination.
Now, Great Yarmouth has taken Ruby in – and the town’s port director has urged calm, with fears of a Beirut repeat lingering.
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Ruby’s cargo dwarfs the load of ammonium nitrate which exploded in Beirut four years agoREUTERSThe director, Richard Goffin, said before the vessel’s arrival: “The Port of Great Yarmouth will safely welcome the MV Ruby on 28 October in order to fulfil our obligations as Statutory Harbour Authority and assist the vessel with transhipment of its cargo.
“The Port of Great Yarmouth has the capability to handle hazardous materials.
“The discharge and transhipment of such materials and cargo is common practice across our port group.
“Our team is well-versed in implementing rigorous safety protocols, and we strictly adhere to all UK safety regulations and international maritime standards.”
Ruby had been seen off the Kent coast at the end of last month
VESSELFINDER
Ruby – laden with seven times more explosive than caused the blast pictured here – now sits in Great Yarmouth
REUTERS/VESSELFINDER
Reform’s Rupert Lowe hailed Ruby’s arrival, declaring “Great Yarmouth is open for business”
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When Ruby was still afloat near the Kent coast, Sir Roger Gale, MP for Herne Bay and Sandwich met with shipping minister Mike Kane last week – but said the talks were reassuring.
“I do not believe my constituents face any threat to their security as a result of the presence of this vessel eleven miles off the North Kent coast,” he wrote on social media afterwards.
But Reform UK’s Great Yarmouth MP Rupert Lowe has hailed the move as a win for his seat – despite the concerns.
He said: “This material is perfectly safe if handled correctly, which it will be.
“It’s positive that Great Yarmouth has the facilities to handle such a vessel, and we should be advertising our capabilities even further – all credit to Peel Ports for taking on this ambitious project.
“We need more jobs, more investment, more growth. Let’s send a message. Great Yarmouth is open for business!”