A ship which caused controversy and alarm by putting into Great Yarmouth harbour with a cargo of thousands of tons of potentially explosive fertiliser has now caused further anger by discharging part of it offshore.
The Russian ship MV Ruby first grabbed the news headlines earlier this month. It had incurred damage by running aground in bad weather, but had been refused entry into Lithuania, Denmark and Norway. Instead, it docked at Great Yarmouth, and concerns were raised as to why, when other countries had refused entry, Britain was prepared to take her.
The Ruby’s cargo was 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, which is covered by the Control of Major Accident Hazard regulations, (COMAH). Ammonium nitrate is well-known as a potentially explosive compound, with a dramatic history.
The cargo has an explosive history
An explosion of 30 tonnes of ammonium nitrate fertiliser at a plant in the town of West in Texas in 2013 left 15 people dead and 160 injured. Explosions in Tianjin in 2015 and in Beirut in 2020 both claimed the lives of hundreds of people and left thousands injured and homeless.
An explosion at Texas City in 1947 was on a ship, the SS Grandcamp, and the effects included a 15ft high tsunami as well as the disastrous blast. The vessel was carrying 2,300 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. The death toll was between 500 and 600 people and thousands were injured. Windows were shattered up to 40 miles away and the ship’s 1.5 tonne anchor was found two miles away.
Because of these dangers, there are well-established procedures for handling it safely. It has not been possible to access Britain’s up-to-date regulations in detail, since the COMAH documents are not in the public domain – partly because they could be seen as handbooks telling terrorists or a hostile power exactly what to target.
But one of the principles of COMAH is that the operator of the site must include details of the “worst case scenario” that might occur, in their submission to the Health and Safety Executive.
Reassurances on danger, but no detail
The operator also has to provide the H&SE with a detailed assessment showing that they have taken steps to ensure that risk of major accidents is as low as reasonably practicable, which will include descriptions of the inherent safety of their operation and the measures taken to prevent, control and mitigate major accidents.
The H&SE would need to know about the inherent safety of the operation and the preventative measures being taken, to be satisfied that the risk had been reduced as far as possible.
The port gave reassurances, but without detail for reasons already set out above. It was reported that the vessel was being unloaded, in order that the cargo could be moved to another vessel, the MV Zimrida, which is moored at an adjacent berth.
Contaminated cargo dumped offshore
But the story took a new turn when the Ruby left harbour last week, apparently to discharge hundreds of tonnes of contaminated fertiliser offshore. The move has infuriated conservationists and fishermen – this is the fishing season for herring. Reassurances have been given that ammonium nitrate disperses naturally and will leave no trace, but this is potentially misleading. The dispersal in seawater would reduce any risk of explosion, but there is a risk to the marine environment.
Richard Goffin, port director at Great Yarmouth, sought to reassure the public by stressing that the harbour were in consultation with all relevant public authorities. But one of those who should be consulted, Norfolk County Council, has made it clear that it is alarmed at what is happening.
Norfolk County Council leader Kay Mason Billig says: “On behalf of the people of Yarmouth, we urge the government to halt the return of the MV Ruby.” In a further joint statement with the leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, she added: “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.”
But the government insists it has no control over the matter, and the decision is purely commercial, between the port authority and the ship’s owners.
With thanks to Luke Martin, based in Great Yarmouth, who specialises in aerial photography. You can follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
