MV Ruby dumps ammonium nitrate in sea off Great Yarmouth

The MV Ruby vessel had arrived at Peel Ports' outer harbour in the town in the early hours of the morning of October 28.

She was carrying 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate which was to be safely transferred to the harbour.

Fears were raised when it was revealed that MV Ruby was carrying more than seven times the amount of ammonium nitrate involved in a Beirut blast which killed 218 people and injured a further 7,000.

The MV Ruby cargo ship docked at Great Yarmouth (Image: Bruno Brown) The MV Ruby left Great Yarmouth at the weekend with a ship tracker showing it circling in the North Sea where it dumped some of its cargo.

It appears the cargo was dumped approximately 11 or 12 nautical miles off the coast at Great Yarmouth.

The coastguard says that a "small quantity" of "contaminated" ammonium nitrated was found on the vessel and has been "successfully removed" and that her crew are now on a constant on the MV Ruby and the rest of her docked cargo.

At 11.17am on November 17 MV Ruby left Peel Ports and was circling (Image: Google) At 11.17am on November 18 MV Ruby had left where it was seen circling on the map just 24 hours earlier (Image: Google) The ship is now back in Great Yarmouth and her voyage has enraged the leader of Norfolk County Council Kay Mason-Billig and Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s deputy leader Graham Plant.

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Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s deputy leader Graham Plant and County council leader Kay Mason Billig (Image: Newsquest) In a joint statement, they said: “We are extremely concerned that the Secretary of State’s representative has agreed that this ship can return to Great Yarmouth.

"That is unacceptable. It should never have come in the first place, due to the potential risk of a major explosion that could have affected residents and businesses across Great Yarmouth. On behalf of the people of Yarmouth, we urge the Government to halt the return of the MV Ruby.”

Luke Martin Photography captures the Mv Ruby cargo ship arriving at Great Yarmouth (Image: Luke Martin Photography)

A spokesman for the Port of Great Yarmouth said: "The MV Ruby left port briefly for operational reasons but has since returned and the transhipment of cargo to another vessel is ongoing.”

Richard Goffin, Port Director, Port of Great Yarmouth said: "Fertiliser is a normal cargo that is handled in bulk at ports up and down the country every single day. There would be no UK agriculture without it.

 "We have performed our duty as a port to help a vessel in distress, and its crew, by providing a safe haven. 

"Everything we have done has been in accordance with guidance and direction received from the Secretary of State’s representatives and the Health and Safety Executive, as well as discussions with many other public agencies, including Norfolk County Council."

They did not comment on how much of the load was dumped and or why.

Luke Martin Photography captures the Mv Ruby cargo ship arriving at Great Yarmouth (Image: Luke Martin Photography) A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman said: "After investigations by the HSE and Port, a small quantity of contaminated cargo was found on the MV Ruby.

"This has now been successfully removed.

“A decision was reached between the ship owner and port operator to allow the vessel to return to Great Yarmouth port to continue transferring its remaining safe cargo.

“Expert HSE inspectors will be portside to monitor the offloading process, and the crew will continue to maintain a 24/7 watch on the vessel and its cargo.

"We continue to work at pace to make sure the operation can be undertaken as quickly and as safely as possible."

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Before her arrival in Great Yarmouth on October 28, she had been anchored about 11 miles off the coast of Margate in Kent while awaiting repairs to her hull and propeller, which were damaged in bad weather.

The Maltese-registered boat had initially set off from the northern Russian port of Kandalaksha in July and was supposed to be taking her cargo to Africa before becoming damaged.

The port had previously announced in a statement that it adhered to all of the UK's safety regulations as well as international maritime standards.

Luke Martin Photography captures the MV Ruby cargo ship arriving at Great Yarmouth (Image: Luke Martin Photography)

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: “The port and vessel operator have carried out an operation, with advice from the Maritime Coastguard Agency and the Health & Safety Executive, and are content that the MV Ruby and its cargo meet safety standards.

“We continue to support the agencies involved, as well as the local authority.

“The decision to allow the MV Ruby back into Great Yarmouth port was a commercial one, agreed between the ship operator and the port.”

The spokeswoman added there is no legal basis upon which the transport secretary, or her representative, could have refused entry where all safety requirements have been met.