A Russian cargo ship nicknamed the ‘floating bomb’ is due to dock at a UK port today after being refused entry by other countries.
The ship, nicknamed the Ruby, is carrying 20,000 tonnes of explosive material- more than seven times the amount which devastated Beirut in a massive explosion in 2020.
Earlier this month it was spotted anchored off Margate in Kent after being refused entry at ports throughout Europe due to its deadly cargo.
The Ruby was first spotted near Kent in September after being forced to depart from the Norwegian port of Tromso due to concerns over its cargo, just three days after it docked there to seek shelter from a storm.
Bound for Malta, the Ruby had been stocked with thousands of tonnes of highly explosive ammonium nitrate at a port in northern Russia on August 22, before making its way to Las Palmas in the Canary Islands.
Its explosive cargo is more than seven times larger than the 2,750 tonnes which exploded in the Port of Beirut in Lebanon, killing 218 people in 2020.
The decision to allow the MV Ruby into UK waters has been approved by the UK Government and The Department for Transport, maritime publication gCaptain reports.
Sir Roger Gale, MP for Herne Bay and Sandwich, after meeting with Shipping Minister Mike Kane last week, stated that the cargo is safe. ‘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 X.
‘I am advised that the cargo, originally destined for Africa, of class 2 ammonium nitrate is safe.’
He also added: ‘[I] am led to believe that the legal situation is that because the ship itself is neither Russian owned nor flagged no international law has been broken or sanctions breached.’
While the Ruby was damaged in the storm which required it to dock in Norway it has not been rendered unseaworthy, but it requires repairs which can only be carried out after the cargo is unloaded.
The Ruby’s propeller, hull, and rudder still need repairs, but they were told to leave Tromso after fear over the cargo grew among locals, Newsweek reports.
Residents became increasingly concerned as the ship was anchored near a university campus, a hospital, as well as hundreds of homes.
Richard Goffin, Port Director for the Port of Great Yarmouth, said: ‘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.
‘Our team is well-versed in implementing rigorous safety protocols and we strictly adhere to all UK safety regulations and international maritime standards.’
Assuring the safety of the decision, he added: ‘We take our responsibilities as Statutory Harbour Authority incredibly seriously and work closely with the relevant regulatory bodies to maintain full compliance. Our role is to ensure that the MV Ruby is able to safely discharge and continue with its onward journey.’
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