A cargo ship that raised concerns in Norway for carrying seven times the amount of ammonium nitrate that caused the Beirut explosion in 2020 is now facing new mysteries. The ship, named Ruby and registered in Malta, loaded 20,000 tons of the chemical in Russia in August and reported a destination of the Canary Islands. Officially owned by interests in Syria but operating under a UAE-based company, the ship faced issues in Norwegian waters after seeking shelter from a storm and getting damaged.
Norwegian officials conducted a Port State Inspection on the damaged vessel, resulting in six deficiencies being cited, including a crack in the hull and expired seafarers’ employment agreements. The ship was detained for a week and ordered out of the city center to anchor in a remote part of Norway. A shipyard in Klaipeda, Lithuania, won a tender to make repairs, but the Lithuanian government refused entry to the ship due to its cargo, leading to concerns and uncertainties about its next moves.
The vessel’s AIS signal indicates it is now en route to Klaipeda, set to arrive on September 22. However, Danish officials noted no application has been made for a pilot, hinting at potential risks in the Great Belt transit. Lithuanian port officials stated they have not received an entry application and reiterated the cargo offloading requirement. The Western Shipyard in Lithuania speculates the ship is seeking a willing port to unload. The ship’s owners and operators have remained silent amid the escalating situation.
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