Cargo ship carrying explosive fertilizer in the Baltic Sea waters
A weather-beaten freighter is stuck near Norway's shoreline. This vessel hails from Murmansk and carries a risky load of ammonium nitrate. As of now, it's unclear if or when it might navigate through the German section of the Baltic Sea. The salvage team is on standby.
As reported by Wulf Winterhoff, spokesperson for the Federal Police Directorate Bad Bramstedt, the ship named "Ruby" didn't budge on Saturday night. The ship's future movement is uncertain. Winterhoff explained, "We're vigilantly monitoring the ship and working closely with the appropriate German authorities and those of our Scandinavian neighbors."
News sources confirm the ship is carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate. "This is inherently hazardous stuff," Winterhoff commented. The extent of risk associated with the cargo, however, remains unclear. The infamous explosion in Beirut's port, which claimed over 200 lives in August 2020, was triggered by unstable storage of this explosive compound.
Battling the squall
As per ship tracking websites, the freighter originally aimed to dock at Klaipeda in Lithuania. A report by "The Barents Observer" shared that "Ruby" sailed from Russia's Kandalaksha port in the Murmansk region at the end of August, headed for the Canary Islands. But off the Norwegian coast, the Maltese-flagged vessel encountered inclement weather and sought refuge. After a brief stop in Tromso's harbor, it was then ordered to vacate and anchor at a repair site.
The Maritime Safety Center, which oversees maritime safety for federations and coastal states, employs various safety entities. This includes salvage teams, navies, customs, and local marine police across affected regions. Based in Cuxhaven, its mission is to ensure the safety of ships and their passengers in both local and international waters.
The "Ruby" was initially planning to dock at Klaipeda in Lithuania, located near the Baltic Sea. Despite facing adverse weather conditions, the Maltese-flagged vessel is currently anchored off the Norwegian coast, awaiting repairs.
