Since September 2024, the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Ruby has been the focus of safety concerns after it ran aground near the Straits of Dover with 20,000 tons of volatile ammonium nitrate on board. The hazardous cargo on board posed significant risks to health, safety and the environment, raising fears of a catastrophic incident. 

The Ruby's ordeal began when it suffered storm damage and was turned away from European ports, including Lithuania, due to the dangerous nature of the cargo. The U.K. Coast Guard eventually deemed the ship seaworthy and allowed it to dock in Great Yarmouth on Oct. 28th. However, the Ruby's situation coincides with the devastating explosion in Beirut in 2020, which was triggered by the explosion of some 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at the port. The explosion killed more than 200 people, injured thousands and uprooted hundreds of thousands.