With explosive cargo

Malta refuses entry to “Russian” freighter

The freighter Ruby, loaded with ammonium nitrate, is said to have suffered damage to its hull - and its "home port" is now also refusing entry.(Bild: marinetraffic/Muhammet M)

The damaged freighter Ruby with around 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate on board has been trying to find a port for days. After the attempt in the North Sea and Baltic Sea failed, Malta has now also refused a corresponding request. According to the Valletta transport authority, the ship used for Russia's "shadow fleet" must first get rid of its explosive cargo. 

The Maltese-flagged Ruby is currently in the North Sea on its way back to the Mediterranean. It was previously moored off the south coast of Norway for several days. Norway as well as Sweden and Lithuania refused her entry. The ship then set course for Malta, where it was due to arrive on October 8, according to online information from the ship tracking services Vesselfinder and Marinetraffic.

Ammonium nitrate led to disaster in Beirut
The cargo ship's route had been closely tracked by several countries bordering the North Sea and Baltic Sea in recent days due to its cargo. Ammonium nitrate is considered the cause of the disaster in the port of the Lebanese capital Beirut in August 2020, where large quantities of the chemical had been improperly stored in the port for years.

More than 200 people died in an explosion at the time. It is mainly used as a main component of fertilizer, but can also be used as an explosive.

Cargo to be reloaded at sea
The "Ruby" had originally set sail from the northern Russian peninsula of Kola. Under unclear circumstances, it sustained damage to its hull shortly after leaving the Russian port, but continued on its journey. The 183-metre-long ship spent the past few days in the North Sea without finding a port to enter.

On Monday, it changed course and set its destination as the port of Marsaxlokk in south-eastern Malta. The authorities have now instructed the crew to transfer the cargo to ships outside Maltese territorial waters.

Part of Russia's "shadow fleet"?
Although the "Ruby" sails under the Maltese flag, it is operated by a Lebanese-Syrian company and the Syrian Assad regime is a close ally of Russia. These circumstances give rise to the suspicion that the "Ruby" could be part of Russia's "shadow fleet".

In order to circumvent Western sanctions and continue exporting raw materials such as oil, Russia maintains a whole armada of officially ownerless ships that often cruise the world's oceans without insurance and in precarious conditions.