A cargo ship with links to Russia packed with explosive fertiliser is floating off the Kent coast after being denied entry at other ports over safety fears.
Ruby, a Maltese-flagged cargo ship carrying 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser from a port in Russia, was ordered out of Tromso in Norway and turned away from Danish waters.
More alleged shenanigans with this craft drifting around the North Sea, ostensibly enroute to the Canaries.
It’s not intentional. They screwed up the ship and nobody wants a damaged ship full of enormous amounts of explosive material in their port.
That ship in Beiruit had similar issues – it wasn’t seaworthy, so wasn’t allowed to leave, because it wasn’t seaworthy, and the owners just abandoned it in port, where (a) all the ammonium nitrate was offloaded and the port authority in Beiruit had to deal with it and (b) the sunken hull.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Rhosus
The ship is still blocking Beirut port space.
I think that a likely better concern is less that the thing is going to just blow up after reaching port – though I did read an earlier article pointing out that if repairs require welding, that it’s a risk – and more that it might wind up abandoned in port like the other ship.
I’m sure Ukraine could find a use. Maybe we tow it to a port of their choosing?
Where’s the Black Sea fleet hiding again?