Posted on 08/08/2020 7:42:04 AM PDT by robowombat
Beirut port explosion mystery solved? UPDATES: 3 ships disappeared.
Mikhail Voytenko News August 5, 2020 3:28 pm
Aug 5 1515 UTC UPDATE: Cruise ship ORIENT QUEEN, berthed at Beirut near blast site, was seriously damaged, started taking on water, capsized and sank starboard along berth, remaining partially above waterline. 2 crew reportedly (but not yet confirmed) died.
Cruise ship ORIENT QUEEN, IMO 8701193, GT 7478, built 1989, flag Bahamas, operator Abou Merhi Cruises.
Aug 5 0730 UTC UPDATE: Three ships were berthed near explosion site, AIS of all these ships are off during last 14-16 hours, immediately or shortly after, the blast. General cargo ship MERO STAR, IMO 8321682, dwt 4110; general cargo ship RAOUF H, IMO 8325535, dwt 6343; Livestock carrier JOURI, IMO 9174775, GT 4033.
Aug 5 UPDATE: In Jul 2014, Ive been asked by one of Russian national newspapers to investigate the story of general cargo ship RHOSUS, stranded in Beirut with cargo of ammonium nitrate, following the letter they received from the Captain of the ship. Thats what I found out:
General cargo vessel RHOSUS called Beirut, Lebanon, in October last year. Vessel loaded with ammonium nitrate was destined for another country, the reason she called Beirut is unclear, maybe for supplies or due to some mechanical trouble. RHOSUS was detained after PSC inspection, which found a number of deficiencies. Since then vessel is stranded in Beirut. By now only four crew stay on board Master (Russian nationality), Chief and Third Engineers and Bosun, all of them Ukrainians. Vessel was owned and operated by Mr. Grechushkin Igor, Russian citizen now Cyprus resident (last known manager Teto Shipping, Cyprus). RHOSUS actually, is abandoned owner doesnt communicate, doesnt pay salaries, doesnt provide supplies. Owner of the cargo declared abandonment, too. Beirut authorities dont permit the remaining crew to leave the vessel and fly to home. The reason is obvious, port authorities dont want to be left with abandoned vessel on their hands, loaded with dangerous cargo, explosives, in fact. Why dont they want to arrest vessel with cargo, to release the crew and replace it with temporary local crew, is unclear. https://www.fleetmon.com/maritime-news/2014/4194/crew-kept-hostages-floating-bomb-mv-rhosus-beirut/
Many believe that yesterdays explosion in Beirut was caused by that ammonium nitrate cargo on board of RHOSUS. Probably. General cargo vessel Rhosus, IMO 8630344, dwt 3226, built 1986, flag Moldova.
A powerful explosion occurred in Beirut port area on Aug 4, killing and injuring dozens of people, and causing widespread damage. As of evening Aug 4, theres no clarity with regards to the cause of explosion/explosions, and what triggered it. Russian witness insists he saw the ship on fire prior to blast, he managed to record fire and explosions on his mobile phone.
...as my former history professor used to say, “Great minds think alike...” it would not surprise me in the least to find out, at some point way, WAY in the future that Mossad’s fingerprints were all over this .....but as that expression goes, the next war Isreal loses will be the first war it has ever lost...and it will be the last war it ever loses, because it will cease to exist...ya gotta do what ya gotta do...
Thanks for the appropriate Psalms, they certainly fit.
“”The article is simply saying that the AIS tracking for those three ships got shut off somehow during the previous 14-16 hours most likely when the ships exploded and were destroyed.””
Makes sense but maybe he should continue studying it! Thanks.
Beg to differ. This explosion was AN without fuel oil or nitromethane.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IcHUHRf_S0
They did not have AIS when I sailed but it was customary to shut down navigation electronics when secure to a dock.
The ship was off-loaded years ago, and sunk in Beirut harbour.
https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3872588/posts
Is that a 2nd smaller crater at the 12 oclock position of the big one where the stern of the middle ship was?
Possibly so, but it seems that they decided to make bombs out of it in the last seven years not corn.
Sucks to be them.
I was in Israel last time Lebanon decided to declare war and shell Israeli towns with rockets for a few months.
Sucked to be them then too. I ran out of pity for them then, never got it back.
Where does it say how they constructed the bomb in the video or in the comments afterward? So how do you know this was “AN without fuel oil or nitromethane”? Where is the documentation supporting this armchair theory of yours? Send us a link.
Iran has very publicly stated its intention to manufacture its own HMX, so it is likely what blew was an Iranian ammunition warehouse, or even an Iranian HMX production facility. Where do we think all those rockets fired against Israel come from? It looks like a major war was averted for awhile.
“Pure ammonium nitrate is not explosive”
Well,sorta. Here’s what Wikipedia says:
“Pure ammonium nitrate does not burn, but as a strong oxidizer, it supports and accelerates the combustion of organic (and some inorganic) material.[16][19][20] It should not be stored near combustible substances.
While ammonium nitrate is stable at ambient temperature and pressure under many conditions, it may detonate from a strong initiation charge. It should not be stored near high explosives or blasting agents.
Molten ammonium nitrate [melts at 337F] is very sensitive to shock and detonation, particularly if it becomes contaminated with incompatible materials such as combustibles, flammable liquids, acids, chlorates, chlorides, sulfur, metals, charcoal and sawdust.[21][16] “
“It is the major constituent of ANFO, a popular industrial explosive which accounts for 80% of explosives used in North America”
“ANFO is a tertiary explosive, meaning that it cannot be set off by the small quantity of primary explosive in a typical blasting cap. A larger quantity of secondary explosive, known as a primer or a booster, must be used.[9] One or two sticks of dynamite were historically used”
Amen & Amen.
Every MSDS for AN says it will explode under heat and pressure.
http://www.calamco.com/pdf/ammonium_nitrate_msds.pdf
Well I just saw the negitive vid and very clearly see a missile strike. Wondering why you feel the vid is suspect.
Throws a monkey wrench into the works, don’t it?
Things exploding in the Middle East are dog bites man. Just not that exciting.
Ammonium Nitrate is an oxidizer... do you understand what what that means? There are plenty of trucks on the interstate with placards informing us that they contain oxidizers because they can create hazardous situations.
Any oxygen rich atmosphere can be dangerous... remember Apollo 13.
Any oxidizing agent can become dangerous if heated until it reaches a high enough temperature to melt or boil especially in an enclosed space... Hello Captain Obvious, but it doesn't mean its going to explode when it is sitting in a big pile in a warehouse somewhere. If the warehouse catches on fire the oxidizer can and will cause additional hazards obviously up to and including explosive hazards. But this explosion does not fit that profile. If a bunch of morons want to buy the line from local officials to keep their people calm that it was all just a big accident caused by neglect... then that is just fine with me. So what is your point? That terrorists or other malcontents are not responsible? Not too likely no matter what the official line is... that is 25 years of training, drilling with our local military and other Hazmat teams, continuing education and real life experiences responding to hazardous situations after I took chemistry in college.
Except that Rhosus apparently sank in Beirut two years ago: Link
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