Port authorities in Ivory Coast have dismissed security fears about a docked barge loaded with 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, the same container that caused a deadly explosion in Lebanon four years ago.
Ammonium nitrate is commonly used as an agricultural fertilizer, but it can also be explosive.
Its presence in the waters off the busy city of Abidjan – home to more than six million people – has caused concern among some residents.
Part of the cargo, which began its journey in Russia, ended up washed ashore in England last year after it became contaminated with fuel oil following a rough sea voyage.
A local Member of Parliament for Norfolk County said the dumping was “natural terrorism”.
The remaining ammonium nitrate was then transferred to another ship – called the Zimrida – which arrived in Ivory Coast eight days ago.
“Following allegations of damage to cargo and as a measure to protect people and cargo,” the ship will stay at an outer port, port authorities said.
Ivory Coast officials insist that what remains of Zimrida has been heavily vetted.
Vigilant locals still remember the impact of toxic waste being transported to the port of Abidjan nearly two decades ago.
Wanting to reassure the local community, officials invited the BBC and other journalists to board the Zimrida on Tuesday to see the cargo.
More than 7,000 tons of chemicals are waiting to be unloaded in Ivory Coast [AFP]
When we are inside the large ship and all five of its handles are open, hundreds of white round bags containing this chemical can be seen.
The main indicator of its killing power is a fire truck parked outside the dock.
But when asked by the BBC why the goods had not been delivered, despite passing the checks, the spokesperson of the port, Aboubakar Toto, said that they were just following the law and waiting for the order to proceed.
In a statement sent to the BBC, Paris-based environmental NGO Robin des Bois said it was dangerous for the port of Abidjan to be used as a “storage point” and that the goods should be sent to their buyer without delay.
Meanwhile the Ivorian authorities say that the delivery of ammonium nitrate is normal and more than 40,000 tons of the compound were loaded at the same port in 2024 without incident.
Of the cargo waiting in Zimrida, 7,600 tons of ammonium nitrate are destined for use in the Ivory Coast.
When Zimrida finally leaves Ivory Coast, it will move the remaining cargo to Luanda in Angola and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
[Getty Images/BBC]
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