Denmark Sets Restrictions for Transit of Ammonium Nitrate Laden Vessel
The saga of the bulker Ruby, laden with a potentially explosive cargo, continues with the authorities in Northern Europe closely tracking the vessel’s movements. The resolution of the situation remains unclear as the ship continues to hold 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate which is causing concern over the dangerous nature of the cargo under certain conditions. Reports say it has seven times the amount of the material that caused the devastating explosion in Beirut in 2020. The vessel arrived off Denmark on Friday, September 20, continuing to declare it is bound for Klaipeda, Lithuania where it was scheduled to undergo repairs. The vessel’s hull cracked in an Arctic storm in late August, which was confirmed in a Port State inspection in Norway. Media reports are saying the rudder and propeller are also damaged. Ruby has been holding near the entrance to the Skagerrak, the first leg of the passage around Denmark and into the Baltic. The vessel has been sitting there for approximately 24 hours with an anchor handler tug, Amber II, also registered in Malta, appearing to be escorting the ship. For a time earlier in the week, the vessel…