Norwegian authorities have efficiently managed a possible maritime disaster involving the cargo ship RUBY, which sought emergency port in Tromsø harbor because of hull injury after a grounding.
The Malta-registered vessel, carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, a doubtlessly explosive chemical compound, has been moved to a protected anchorage off Vannøya.
A number of Norwegian businesses, together with the Maritime Authority, Coastal Administration, Directorate for Civil Safety and Emergency Planning (DSB), and Troms Police District, collaborated to deal with the scenario. The ship underwent a port state management inspection on September 3, leading to its detention.
Regardless of the vessel’s compromised situation, officers emphasize that it doesn’t pose an elevated threat in comparison with its regular operations. “The ship, because it lies now, doesn’t pose a larger threat than when it has been in regular operation,” acknowledged the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
To make sure security, authorities have applied a number of key measures, together with establishing a 500-meter security zone across the vessel, deploying a tug boat to stay on-site, and sustaining steady monitoring by way of the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s vessel visitors service middle in Vardø.
The ship’s present location, roughly 3 km southeast of Vannøy in Karlsøy municipality, is deemed sufficiently distant from populated areas. “Our principal focus is the protection of the inhabitants,” a DSB official commented.
Shifting ahead, Norwegian authorities will work intently with the flag state (Malta) and the classification society (DNV) to find out the following steps for the vessel.
“Our precedence is security,” the Norwegian Maritime Authority stated.
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