NYT: Ports deny entry to vessel carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate
A ship transporting Russian fertilizer has been stuck near Europe’s coast for several weeks, raising concerns that it may be involved in Russia's 'hybrid warfare.' Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The owners of the MV Ruby assert that "media speculation" is responsible for the vessel's inability to secure repairs for storm damage.
The cargo ship, laden with 20,000 tons of Russian fertilizer, has been stranded off the northern European coast for several weeks, raising concerns about the potential for an explosion due to the ammonium nitrate on board.
As reported by the New York Times, the UK has delayed responding to the vessel's request to dock for repairs, with several EU nations expressing worries that the ship could act as a "Trojan horse, sent to sabotage shipping and port infrastructure" in the region.
The MV Ruby, managed by UAE-based Serenity Shipping and registered in Malta, set sail from the Russian port of Kandalaksha en route to Africa in August. After running aground during a storm and sustaining damage to its hull, rudder, and propeller, the ship sought to dock in Malta for repairs but was informed that it could only do so after offloading its cargo. A subsequent attempt to dock in Norway in early September resulted in port inspectors confirming the damage, yet they deemed the ship seaworthy and instructed its departure due to the hazardous nature of its cargo.
Since then, the vessel has been turned away by ports in Sweden, Denmark, and Lithuania. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis noted that because the cargo comes from Russia—an “unfriendly international actor”—the country cannot ensure that the vessel does not harbor "malicious" intent.
In an opinion piece for CEPA, a US arms industry-funded pressure group, Lithuania’s former ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, referred to the MV Ruby as a “floating megabomb,” warning it could be tied to Russia’s “hybrid warfare” strategy against the West.
This narrative has been echoed by British media, with The Spectator claiming that the ship had “systematically attempted” to sail close to vital European energy and military infrastructure. Other publications have cautioned that the ship poses a risk to any port that allows it entry, drawing parallels to the 2020 Beirut explosion, in which about seven times less ammonium nitrate than on the MV Ruby detonated, resulting in over 200 fatalities and approximately 6,000 injuries.
For more than a week, the vessel has remained just outside UK territorial waters, seeking to dock for cargo transfer and repairs. However, the UK authorities have yet to address the ship’s request, as stated by the owners.
In a press release on Friday, a spokesperson for the ship's owners attributed the ongoing issues to media coverage. “There has been considerable media speculation surrounding the bulk carrier Ruby… Due to the media speculation that has surrounded this vessel, port terminals in the UK are reticent to take the vessel in,” the spokesperson said, emphasizing that ammonium nitrate is a “commonly transported cargo,” and “poses no threat to the ship, crew or surrounding environment.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
The cargo ship, laden with 20,000 tons of Russian fertilizer, has been stranded off the northern European coast for several weeks, raising concerns about the potential for an explosion due to the ammonium nitrate on board.
As reported by the New York Times, the UK has delayed responding to the vessel's request to dock for repairs, with several EU nations expressing worries that the ship could act as a "Trojan horse, sent to sabotage shipping and port infrastructure" in the region.
The MV Ruby, managed by UAE-based Serenity Shipping and registered in Malta, set sail from the Russian port of Kandalaksha en route to Africa in August. After running aground during a storm and sustaining damage to its hull, rudder, and propeller, the ship sought to dock in Malta for repairs but was informed that it could only do so after offloading its cargo. A subsequent attempt to dock in Norway in early September resulted in port inspectors confirming the damage, yet they deemed the ship seaworthy and instructed its departure due to the hazardous nature of its cargo.
Since then, the vessel has been turned away by ports in Sweden, Denmark, and Lithuania. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis noted that because the cargo comes from Russia—an “unfriendly international actor”—the country cannot ensure that the vessel does not harbor "malicious" intent.
In an opinion piece for CEPA, a US arms industry-funded pressure group, Lithuania’s former ambassador to the UK, Eitvydas Bajarunas, referred to the MV Ruby as a “floating megabomb,” warning it could be tied to Russia’s “hybrid warfare” strategy against the West.
This narrative has been echoed by British media, with The Spectator claiming that the ship had “systematically attempted” to sail close to vital European energy and military infrastructure. Other publications have cautioned that the ship poses a risk to any port that allows it entry, drawing parallels to the 2020 Beirut explosion, in which about seven times less ammonium nitrate than on the MV Ruby detonated, resulting in over 200 fatalities and approximately 6,000 injuries.
For more than a week, the vessel has remained just outside UK territorial waters, seeking to dock for cargo transfer and repairs. However, the UK authorities have yet to address the ship’s request, as stated by the owners.
In a press release on Friday, a spokesperson for the ship's owners attributed the ongoing issues to media coverage. “There has been considerable media speculation surrounding the bulk carrier Ruby… Due to the media speculation that has surrounded this vessel, port terminals in the UK are reticent to take the vessel in,” the spokesperson said, emphasizing that ammonium nitrate is a “commonly transported cargo,” and “poses no threat to the ship, crew or surrounding environment.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
