Damaged cargo ship carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate not allowed to port in Malta

A damaged Malta-flagged cargo ship carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate has not been allowed to port in Malta, a transport ministry spokesperson has confirmed with MaltaToday.

The Malta-flagged Ruby, currently sailing the North Sea and carrying highly explosive ammonium nitrate, encountered a storm during its journey towards the Canary Islands after setting off from the Kola Peninsula in August.

According to the vessel's log, it ran aground after departure, but for some reason, the ship did not return to port.

“The ship will only be allowed to port in Malta if it empties the cargo, if not, it will not be allowed to enter Maltese territorial waters,” the spokesperson said, confirming that a request for servicing had been made by the ship’s captain.

Norway and Sweden had refused the ship from entering their ports due to the nature of its cargo. Website The Maritime Executive is reporting that Lithuania also confirmed that it had requested the vessel to cease displaying Klaipeda as its destination, reiterating that the ship would not be allowed to enter the port with its cargo.

During a Port State inspection, Norway confirmed that the ship's hull is damaged and requires repairs, possibly due to grounding while departing Russia in August after loading its cargo. Media reports also indicate damage to the rudder and propeller.

The ship reportedly has restricted manoeuvrability, and for a period of time last week showed it was “not under command”.

This prompted Denmark to impose restrictions on the ship’s transit into the Baltic, including requiring a pilot to be aboard. Requests for a pilot for the weekend were later withdrawn as the Swedes reported they believed the ship was still searching for a port, according to the report.

The ship is reported to have seven times the amount of material that caused the devastating explosion in Beirut in 2020. Reports indicate the ship was bound for the Canary Islands.