Russian ‘floating bomb’ with 20,000 tonnes of explosives docks at UK port

A damaged cargo ship dubbed the ‘floating bomb’ has docked at a UK port a few hundred metres from schools and housing.

MV Ruby has docked in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, with 20,000 tonnes of explosive material – more than seven times the amount that devastated Beirut in a massive explosion in 2020.

Believed to have originally been destined for Africa, the Maltese-registered ship was damaged in a storm last month after leaving the Russian port of Kandalaksha in August.

Its propeller, hull, and rudder need repairs, but first its cargo must be offloaded and reloaded onto a second ship that will deliver it to its final destination.

But the Ruby has found itself sailing around the North Sea in search of somewhere to do this because it can’t find somewhere to dock.

Earlier this month it was spotted anchored off Margate in Kent after being refused entry at ports throughout Europe due to its deadly cargo of highly explosive ammonium nitrate, a common ingredient in fertiliser.

The Ruby’s explosive cargo is more than seven times larger than the 2,750 tonnes which exploded in the Port of Beirut in Lebanon, killing 218 people in 2020.

It was first spotted near Kent in September after being forced to depart from the Norwegian port of Tromso due to concerns over its cargo, just three days after it docked there for repairs.

Now port authorities in Great Yarmouth believe they can handle the cargo safely, and local emergency services are working with them on this.

Port director Richard Goffin said: ‘The Port of Great Yarmouth has the capability to handle hazardous materials and the discharge and transhipment of such materials and cargo is common practice across our port group.

‘Our team is well-versed in implementing rigorous safety protocols and we strictly adhere to all UK safety regulations and international maritime standards.

‘Our role is to ensure that the MV Ruby is able to safely discharge and continue with its onward journey.’

But its presence in the seaside town is a concern for local residents, MailOnline reports.

Mia Atkinson, 28, of Great Yarmouth who was on the beach next to the town’s port with her children Riley, ten, and Lexi-May, nine, said: ‘This ship is a little bit concerning.

‘I walk up and down here every day. I understand that this is an industrial area and some places use chemicals, but this is a ridiculous amount.

‘There are loads of holidaymakers on the beach here when the weather is nice and they should not be exposed to this.’

Jackie Shales, 76, of nearby Lowestoft who was beachcombing on Great Yarmouth beach with her husband Keith, 78, added: ‘It is a bit worrying.

‘It sounds like a floating timebomb which could go off at anytime. It is all very well saying the ship is safe, but how come other countries have turned it away?’

Serenity Ship Management, which manages MV Ruby, assured people that: ‘The vessel’s cargo poses no risk to the surrounding area in its present state.

‘The owners and managers of the Ruby would like to take this opportunity to thank the UK authorities for their support throughout the vessel’s stay in UK territorial waters, while we express gratitude to Peel Ports Group for accommodating our request to complete a transhipment at Great Yarmouth.’

The decision to allow the MV Ruby into UK waters has been approved by the UK Government and The Department for Transport, maritime publication gCaptain reports.

Sir Roger Gale, MP for Herne Bay and Sandwich, after meeting with Shipping Minister Mike Kane last week, stated that the cargo is safe. ‘I do not believe my constituents face any threat to their security as a result of the presence of this vessel eleven miles off the North Kent coast,’ he wrote on X.

‘I am advised that the cargo, originally destined for Africa, of class 2 ammonium nitrate is safe.’

He also added: ‘[I] am led to believe that the legal situation is that because the ship itself is neither Russian owned nor flagged no international law has been broken or sanctions breached.’ .

Stored correctly, ammonium nitrate is relatively safe. But it can explode if it comes into contact with intense heat or ignition in a confined space like a warehouse.

This is what fuelled fear among locals in Norway, who were concerned about its proximity to a university campus, hospital, and hundreds of homes, in Tromso, eventually forcing it to leave.

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