UK Terminals “Reticent” to Handle Bulker Ruby Due to Media Speculation

The owners of the bulker Ruby which has garnered worldwide attention due to the coverage of its cargo of 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate for fertilizer issued its first public statement thanking the UK authorities and lashing out against the sensational media coverage. The ship's owners, registered in Malta, and the managers, based in the UAE, said they are “still hopeful” that a solution can be found to assist in the current predicament in a safe manner.

Ruby (37,000 dwt) registered in Malta has been the focus of endless speculation since the cargo ship first drew attention in Norway. Media coverage after the ship docked in Tromsø, Norway as a port of refuge after being damaged in an Arctic storm contributed to the ship being ordered to leave the port and anchor in a remote part of Norway. When she later attempted to sail to Lithuania, media attention again contributed to her being turned away from ports and restricted again over fears of the potentially explosive nature of her cargo. For the past week, the ship has been anchored in a waiting area off the Thames, outside UK territorial waters.

“The media speculation has had a negative prejudicial effect on the vessel’s ability to undergo, what would be considered, routine operations to transfer the cargo of ammonium nitrate to another vessel, so the Ruby can undergo repairs, following a grounding incident shortly after leaving Kandalaksha (Russia),” writers a spokesperson for the owners and managers of the vessel.

Two French NGOs for the environment and maritime affairs are also responding to the speculation calling for cooperation between the Russian producer of the cargo, the shipowner, Great Britain, and the European states to “find the optimal solution.”

Everyone is highlighting that it is a normal cargo and properly stored. The maritime agencies in Norway and Sweden had said there was minimal danger in its current state. The NGOs point out that it is the base material for fertilizer and not intended for explosives as the material that was stored in Beirut originally was. They said there are no signs of thermal degradation of the Ruby’s cargo.

The owner’s representative further highlights the vessel adheres to all international regulations. They said that it is fully insured by a recognized international Hull & Machinery insurer, as well as an International Group P&I Club. It is classed by DNV and its flag is administered by Malta.

“The vessel has now been anchored for over a week off the UK while the owners, managers, P&I Club, insurers, and UK authorities, including SOSREP and the UK MCA, work hard to find a solution to get the vessel into port. Unfortunately, due to the media speculation that has surrounded this vessel, port terminals in the UK are reticent to take the vessel in,” the representative contends. 

The ship received temporary repairs while in Norway, and they said the assessment determined the vessel’s strength and stability were sufficient to proceed to a repair yard, on the condition of tug assistance throughout. However, it is not capable of making the Atlantic crossing to Brazil which they state was the destination of the cargo. The Canary Islands, which was declared and picked up in the media, they report was a planned waypoint for fuel and provisions.

They continue to search for a solution while the two NGOS, Mor Glaz and Robin des Bois, said this situation highlights a broader problem for the transport of dangerous cargoes. They note there are 19 crewmembers, mostly Syrians, also caught in this situation while appealing for a favorable outcome before it becomes a true emergency.