Lithuania Denies Entry to Ship Carrying Explosive Cargo

Lithuania’s Prime Minister, Ingrida Šimonytė, has announced that a ship carrying a potentially hazardous cargo will not be granted access to the country for emergency repairs.

The vessel in question, the Ruby, a 37,000 dwt open hatch carrier transporting 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, recently sought refuge at the port of Tromso in northern Norway after encountering difficulties in severe weather. The ship sustained damage to its propeller, hull, and rudder.

After initially seeking repairs in Tromso, the Ruby requested permission to dock at Lithuania's Klaipeda port to offload its dangerous cargo and proceed with necessary repairs.

“The cargo will not be allowed to enter the port,” Šimonytė stated on Thursday during a parliamentary session.

At present, the ship remains anchored roughly 100 nautical miles southwest of Tromso.

Ammonium nitrate has been the cause of some of the most catastrophic explosions in maritime history, including the 2020 blast that devastated much of the port of Beirut and the 1947 Texas City disaster in Galveston Bay, one of the most lethal industrial accidents in U.S. history.