Malta denies access for a vessel carrying ammonium nitrate.
Following several days of searching for a suitable harbor, Malta rejected entry for the battered freighter "Ruby," carrying roughly 20,000 metric tons of ammonium nitrate. The vessel can only dock in a Maltese port if it offloads its cargo first, as per the Valletta transportation authority's instructions to the crew. They were told to transfer the cargo to vessels outside Maltese territorial waters.
The "Ruby," sailing under the Maltese flag, has been navigating the North Sea en route to the Mediterranean after being turned away from the south coast of Norway, Sweden, and Lithuania. According to ship tracking services Vesselfinder and Marinetraffic's online data, the ship was supposed to reach Malta on October 8th.
The freighter's journey has sparked interest among several neighboring countries in the North and Baltic Seas due to its hazardous cargo. Ammonium nitrate was the primary culprit behind the catastrophe that occurred at the Lebanese capital's port back in August 2020. Over 200 people lost their lives when large quantities of the potentially dangerous chemical were stored unsafely for years. While mainly utilized as a fertilizer component, ammonium nitrate can also serve as a powerful explosive.
The "Ruby" embarked on its journey from the Russian northern peninsula, Kola. After leaving the port of Murmansk, it sustained unclear damage to its hull but continued its voyage. The 183-meter-long ship has spent the past few days in the North Sea without finding a harbor to dock at. On Monday, it altered its course and signaled the Marsaxlokk port in southeastern Malta as its desired destination.
The freighter "Ruby," despite its battered condition, continues its quest for a safe harbor, having been denied entry to Malta, Norway, Sweden, and Lithuania due to its hazardous cargo of ammonium nitrate. Despite being turned away from multiple ports, the "Ruby" remains determined to find a suitable place for docking, as the ship's journey under the Maltese flag continues.
