Cargo ship Ruby carrying hazardous load banned from departing Tromsø due to explosion risk

A damaged cargo ship carrying a hazardous load is en route to Danish waters, expected to pass through the Storebælt strait on Saturday. The Norwegian police have prohibited the cargo ship Ruby from departing Tromsø due to the explosion risk associated with its cargo of 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, a substance commonly used in fertilizers but also as an explosive. This type of ammonium nitrate was responsible for the devastating 2020 explosion in Beirut that claimed over 200 lives.

Jacob Kaarsbo, a senior analyst at a European think tank and former intelligence officer, labeled the situation a crisis. He noted the ship’s compromised seaworthiness and erratic course, raising concerns that there is more at play than simply transporting fertilizer. The Ruby grounded on August 22 shortly after leaving Kandalaksja, Russia, and was banned from Tromsø on September 2 after authorities were alerted to its dangerous cargo.

Currently, the ship is in the waters south of Norway and west of Skagen, en route to Klaipeda, Lithuania, for repairs. It is suspected of movements close to NATO bases and oil facilities, leading to speculation about its purpose. Kaarsbo expressed concerns that this could be part of a hybrid warfare strategy to gauge Nordic responses to threats near critical installations.

The Ruby sails under a Maltese flag and is operated by a Lebanese company with Syrian ownership. Following the Ukraine conflict, experts have warned of risks associated with the Russian “shadow fleet,” which involves poorly maintained ships often operating under foreign flags in Danish waters. Kaarsbo suggested a coordinated response from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark to address this challenge. Danish authorities are monitoring the situation closely, aware of the ship’s dangerous cargo.