Abidjan ammonium nitrate nothing to fear, Ivory Coast officials say

Port authorities in Ivory Coast have allayed fears about the safety of a barge carrying 20,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, which is the same group that caused the deadly explosion in Lebanon four years ago.

Ammonium nitrate is used as an agricultural fertilizer, but it can also be explosive.

Its presence across the water from the busy city of Abidjan – home to more than 6 million people – has raised fears among some.

Part of the same cargo, which started its journey in Russia, ended up cast ashore on the shores of England last year after being contaminated with oil following a brutal sea voyage.

A local MP in Norfolk said the dumping was “environmental terrorism”.

The remaining ammonium nitrate was transferred to another ship – named Zimrida – which arrived in Ivory Coast eight days ago.

“Following the claims of damage to the cargo taken and as a measure to protect people and cargo,” the ship will remain at the foreign port, said the port authorities.

Ivory Coast officials insist that what remains of the Zimrida has been under strict security surveillance.

Careful locals still remember how toxic waste dumping affected the port of Abidjan nearly 20 years ago.

In order to reassure the local people, the authorities invited the BBC and other journalists to climb the Zimrida on Tuesday to see the goods.

Once inside the large vessel and all five of its lockers are opened, hundreds of round, white bags containing the drug are revealed.

The main symbol of its deadly power is the fire truck parked outside the harbor.

But when asked by the BBC why the cargo had not been unloaded, despite passing checks, port spokesman Aboubakar Toto said they were just following procedures and waiting for the law to proceed.

In a statement to the BBC, the Paris-based environmental organization Robin des Bois said it was dangerous for the port of Abidjan to be used as a “warehouse” and for the goods to be sent to the buyer without delay.

Ivorian authorities say that the supply of ammonium nitrate is common and that more than 40,000 tons of compost were unloaded at the same port in 2024 without problems.

Of the cargo waiting at Zimrida, 7,600 tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer are to be used in Ivory Coast.

Once Zimrida leaves Ivory Coast, it will deliver the remaining cargo to Luanda in Angola and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.