MV “Ruby”: Ammonium Nitrate Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Department for Transport

MV “Ruby”: Ammonium Nitrate

Lord Berkeley Excerpts
Thursday 31st October 2024

(3 weeks ago)

Lords Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Asked by
Lord Berkeley Portrait Lord Berkeley
- Hansard - -

To ask His Majesty’s Government what discussions they are having with the Great Yarmouth Port Authority about additional safety precautions to be put in place to enable the MV Ruby to dock with a cargo of ammonium nitrate.

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill Portrait The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill) (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The Government have engaged with Peel Ports, which owns the port of Great Yarmouth, and the ship’s management company. They have provided guidance and advice to ensure the safe transfer of this cargo from the motor vessel “Ruby” on to another vessel for onward travel. Ammonium nitrate is regularly handled at UK ports and standard health and safety procedures have been, and are being, followed.

Lord Berkeley Portrait Lord Berkeley (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

I am grateful to my noble friend for that Answer and declare an interest as an honorary president of the United Kingdom Maritime Pilots’ Association. The cargo of 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate is benign on its own, but I know from construction experience what happens when you mix it with a little bit of diesel and an explosive: in Beirut, about two years ago, it demolished most of the city, as I understand it. Is Great Yarmouth a great place to have a transfer like this, when that ship has been sitting in the North Sea for probably weeks, if not months, trying to get some port somewhere to accept it and unload the cargo? I would be interested in my noble friend’s response.