Despite concerns from locals regarding the safety of a boat laden with ammonium nitrate in Abidjan, Ivorian port authorities reaffirm that strict safety measures have been adhered to, while also inviting journalists for a close look at the cargo.
Ivorian Authorities Assure Safety Amid Concerns Over Ammonium Nitrate Shipment
Ivorian Authorities Assure Safety Amid Concerns Over Ammonium Nitrate Shipment
Port officials in Ivory Coast downplay fears related to a vessel carrying 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate as they assure that all necessary safety protocols are in place.
Port authorities in Ivory Coast are striving to allay safety concerns surrounding a vessel anchored in Abidjan harbor, loaded with 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a substance associated with past explosions, most notoriously the Beirut blast in 2020. Despite its common usage as an agricultural fertilizer, residents are on edge due to its potential explosive nature.
The ammonium nitrate in question was transferred to the ship Zimrida after an earlier incident last year, where part of the shipment was deemed contaminated and dumped off the coast of England. A local Member of Parliament condemned that action as "environmental terrorism," raising additional awareness about the substance.
To mitigate local fears, Ivorian officials have emphasized that the cargo aboard the Zimrida has undergone rigorous safety checks. In a bid to reassure the public, port authorities allowed journalists from various media outlets, including the BBC, to inspect the vessel.
Inside the ship, a sight greeted reporters: hundreds of white, round bags, unmistakably containing ammonium nitrate, while a fire truck stood ready on the quay, a stark reminder of the chemical's hazardous potential. When prompted about the delays in unloading the cargo, port spokesman Aboubakar Toto stated that they were simply adhering to official protocols.
Environmental NGO Robin des Bois weighed in, advocating for the rapid transport of the ammonium nitrate, arguing that the port should not serve as a storage site for such dangerous goods. Ivorian officials countered by asserting that similar deliveries occur regularly, citing that over 40,000 tonnes of the compound were safely unloaded in the same port last year.
Currently, out of the 20,000 tonnes aboard the Zimrida, 7,600 tonnes are intended for agricultural use in Ivory Coast, while the remaining cargo is scheduled for delivery to Luanda, Angola, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania once the ship departs.
