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A cargo ship, referred to as a “floating megabomb,” has generated considerable controversy following its decision to discard 300 tons of hazardous fertiliser into the North Sea. This action is being characterized as “government-sanctioned environmental terrorism” by MP Rupert Lowe, who claims that the incident highlights significant operational failures.
In a forthcoming address to Parliament, Lowe will detail the circumstances surrounding the MV Ruby, which arrived at Great Yarmouth carrying ammonium nitrate potentially mixed with fuel. He asserts that critical errors were made that endangered public safety.
Documentation from the Department of Transport reveals that authorities contemplated evacuation protocols due to fears of a “catastrophic” explosion while the vessel was docked.
The MV Ruby reportedly carried a total of 20,000 tons of fertiliser, with analysis suggesting its potential to endanger the lives of 30,000 individuals while causing extensive destruction in a three-mile radius. Despite the alarming nature of these projections, the document emphasizes that the likelihood of such a disaster happening was theoretically low.
On November 16, the ship navigated ten miles offshore to dispose of the potentially contaminated fertiliser into the ocean. Models suggested that while the chemical would disperse quickly, it could nonetheless be harmful to marine ecosystems, affecting fish gills and metabolism, as well as possibly leading to destructive algae growth.
Lowe referred to the method of disposal as an act of ecological negligence, noting that the fertiliser was discarded in polypropylene bags that would float, posing risks of entanglement to marine life and boats. He criticized the decisions made regarding the waste’s management, evoking parallels to the serious repercussions he would face as a farmer for similar actions.
He will also call attention to inspections performed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prior to the decision to dump the cargo, raising questions about the thoroughness of these assessments.
Local stakeholders, including leaders from the Norfolk fishing community and Great Yarmouth council, are advocating for transparency regarding the handling of the MV Ruby, asserting that the situation was mishandled without proper communication or consultation.
Fishing representative Paul Lines condemned the dumping of fertiliser as shameful and urged that it should have been reprocessed rather than discarded in the sea.
The Maltese-flagged MV Ruby, which had set out from Russia, suffered damages during storms and ended up being refused dockage at various ports due to its hazardous cargo, hence leading to its eventual offloading at Great Yarmouth.
The ship garnered its nickname due to carrying a quantity of fertiliser significantly larger than that which caused the Beirut explosion in 2020, a tragedy that resulted in numerous fatalities.
Ownership of the MV Ruby ultimately made the decision to discharge its cargo at sea prior to taking the vessel to Newcastle for repairs. Initial inspections by Peel Ports uncovered contamination concerns, with some bags showing signs of seawater and hydrocarbons, causing the unloading operation to be briefly stopped.
Sensitive documentation outlines concerns regarding the risk of explosion, noting that the consequences could potentially impact a wide area and necessitate evacuations in case of a worst-case scenario. However, officials concluded that the probability of such an event was low.
It was reported that collaboration among the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), DfT, and Peel Ports Group led the vessel’s captain to opt for the offshore disposal operation.
Lowe contends that politicians like himself, particularly from smaller parties, may have been kept uninformed about crucial decisions affecting local safety and environmental standards.
In response to the accusations, a Government spokesperson emphasized the adherence to rigorous safety protocols and asserted that the operation was executed in accordance with advice from the relevant agencies.
‘Not a persistent chemical’
The official statement further clarified that ammonium nitrate is not a substance that remains in the environment and that, when properly diluted, it dissipates without lasting effects.
An HSE representative reiterated that there are no mandates requiring inspections of ammonium nitrate before disposal, although they did confer with specialists who indicated uncertainty regarding the cargo’s purity.
HSE inspectors subsequently attended the site after the contaminated fertiliser had been disposed of, returning to Great Yarmouth to transfer the remaining cargo.
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