Authorities acted promptly preventing (may be) another Beirut explosion of ammonia nitrate cargo
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She has been towed back to the anchorage near Vannøya, where she was anchored several days before arriving in Tromsø.
Now the dangerous cargo ship is in the neighboring municipality:
The cargo ship “Ruby” has arrived on Wednesday morning at Vannvågflaket, off Vannøya . The police reported at 04.00 that the ship was under tow, and that it would anchor at Vannvågflaket within a few hours. According to the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s vessel overview Nais, “Ruby” arrived around 07:00 on Wednesday. (8 hours ago)
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The Beirut explosion was caused by 2,750 tonnes on ammonium nitrate.
This one as 20,000 tonnes. Enough to break a few windows.
20,000 tonnes = 20 kiloton of Ammonium Nitrate.
Beirut quantity 2,750 tonnes considered equivalence = 1 to 1.8 kT of TNT…
Halifax was ~3kT of TNT…
Don’t think Beirut, think closer to Hiroshima/Nagasaki
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Just happened to depart Russia and “Arrived” in Tromso with 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate and hull damage. Uh Huh.
Sounds like just the time to tow to deep water offshore and torpedo it. Might make a good YouTube video
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Ammonium nitrate:
Or this link:
https://cargohandbook.com/Ammonium_Nitrate
Add another Ammonium Nitrite accident, the Texas city explosion in 1947 was said to be the largest non nuclear explosion at the time. Refreshing memory (visited the memorial, was not there in 47) on Wikipedia Tonnage of Ammonium Nitrite about 10 % of the tonnage on board the Ruby in Norway.
I wonder if Ship Repairer’s Liability Insurance covers replacement of a city.
Can’t see anyone doing hot work on a ship with that load under the hatches.
How about some details here Bug?
Reverting as more news comes available.
As said earlier Ammonium Nitrat carried as a fertilizer in bulk is not classified as hazardous cargo.
Source: Ammonium nitrate - Wikipedia
Russia is the largest producer:
PS> Back in 1971 we carried Ammonium Nitrate mixed and prepared as charges for seismic exploration in swamp areas in Irian Barat (now West Papua), Indonesia.
In that form it was classified as Hazardous Cargo, carried in an improvised “bunker” made with rice bags in a cargo hold.
The TNT and detonators needed to set it off were carried separately in special containers, away from Primary charges. Those were classified as Explosives.
Update in English:
Bearing in mind the Texas City and Beirut unintended kinetic events with their visually apparent side effects, one supposes the local authorities will not be inclined to accept the paperwork distinction of “non-hazardous” ammonium nitrate.
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In 2021, global production of ammonium nitrate was 16.7 million tonnes.
Much of that is transported by sea, so many here have probably been on ships carrying it in some form or another.
It takes an external “action” to cause Ammonia Nitrate to explode:
Source: Ammonium nitrate - Wikipedia
I suspect the authorities in Tromsø has obtained info and advice from several sources before making their decisions and issuing statements to the public.
Acting with utmost caution when moving the ship away from the city area and northern Norway’s largest hospital, the university campus and hundreds of private homes, all in a radius of a kilometer from the Breivika port facilities where Ruby docked on Monday.
Dr.Bugge.
The reference source for mariner like master/choff should be IMSBC Code in case of shipments in bulk apart of what is supplied by shippers. In depth consultation with owners/managers basis both mentioned above is also a good practice.
In my edition 2020 it looks like IMSBC has a slightly different opinion. Extract below
IMSBC CODE 2020 extract re fertylizer.pdf (1.7 MB)
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Thinking of Beirut related to geographical location of the last high profile incident related to Ammonium Nitrate .As all remember cargo had not been o/b but in the storage facility.
As to calculations ( nicely explained) mine are simpler for comparisons : 20/2.75 should be fine as well to stir immagination . 
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I don’t know the exact specification of the ammonium nitrate carried on the Ruby, nor does anybody else on this forum I suspect.
I’m pretty sure the authorities in Tromsø does know the specifications and have consulted all relevant regulatory bodies, expertise available in this matter.
It is a well known fact that there have been major accidents involving ammonium nitrate in the past. A list of the major one during last century and this can be found here:
PS> The last happened in Queensland, Australia 30.Aug. this year:
Annual worldwide AN production in 2017 was 21.7 mln. tonnes, much of it carried in bulk and by sea, No incidents recoded that year.
The last two and well known incidents was in Tianjin in 2015 and Beirut in 2020. In both case the explosion happened in warehouses, not while under transport.
I don’t say that due caution is not needed, but it is also no need to cause panic over the present situation in Tromsø.
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Correct me if I am wrong but the statement below:
seems to me as a general statement regarding all “Ammonium Nitrate carried as fertilizer in bulk” what is slightly different what IMSBC Code says as quoted in my attachment .
Authorities did the right thing by acting as they did, according to the rule of thumb : if you are not sure or do not know precisely if the danger exists act like it exists.
Oh …thx for the interesting links added in edited part.
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Latest news from NRK local in Troms & Finnmark:
Source: Skadet lasteskip med farlig last seiler trolig videre i Norge – NRK Troms og Finnmark
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The Ruby has now moved to another sheltered location off Andøya:
She has apparently asked for permission to proceed to Lithuania for repairs:
PS> This not a Russian ship, nor is the cargo onboard owned by any Russian company.
She loaded the AN cargo in a Russian port.
(Russia is the largest producer of Ammonium Nitrate in the world)
Update:
Found a picture of her at the anchorage inside Andøya (Andsfjorden):
Photo: Bjørn Sørensen
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