A damaged cargo ship, MV Ruby, carrying 20,000 tons (22,046 U.S. tons) of Russian ammonium nitrate, is causing alarm as multiple countries close their ports to the vessel due to safety concerns.
Can Cause Massibe Destruction
Ammonium nitrate, the same chemical responsible for the 2020 Beirut explosion, has the potential to cause massive destruction if it detonates, prompting widespread apprehension across Europe.
MV Ruby is a 183-meter (600-foot) ship sailing under the Maltese flag but owned by a Syrian-controlled Lebanese company, according to WP.
It left the Russian port of Kandalaksha, located in the Murmansk region, with a cargo of ammonium nitrate destined for Valetta, Malta. However, during a storm, the vessel ran aground, damaging its rudder and propulsion system, and is now being towed to safety.
Denied Access To Several Ports
Due to the hazardous nature of the cargo, several countries have denied MV Ruby access to their ports, citing security concerns. One of the key closures was the Danish Straits, blocking the ship from entering the Baltic Sea, where the cargo was intended to be unloaded at a Russian port.
Adding to the anxiety are reports of suspicious behavior by the vessel, including an extended stop near Norway’s Andoya Air Base, a key NATO military installation. Security experts suggest that Russia could be using the ship as part of a hybrid warfare strategy, further fueling worries.
Ammonium nitrate is commonly used as a fertilizer, but under certain conditions, it can be highly explosive. The Beirut explosion killed over 200 people, and the cargo aboard MV Ruby is seven times larger, raising fears of a catastrophic incident if the ship’s cargo were to ignite.
