Ivorian authorities have officially deemed the long-awaited cargo aboard the vessel Zimrida to be safe, easing anxieties over a potential threat. After spending an extended period outside the nation’s territorial waters, the ship carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate was allowed to dock at the port of Abidjan on Tuesday. Officials stress that the cargo, commonly used in fertilizers and the mining industry, poses no significant risk to port operations or the public, provided proper guidelines and permits are followed.
During a press tour organized on board, industry stakeholders and reporters received assurances from port authorities regarding the appropriate handling and storage of the substance. General Manager of the Autonomous Port of Abidjan, Hien Yacouba Sié, underscored the facility’s increasing traffic and noted that ammonium nitrate is an important commodity for both agriculture and mining. According to Sié, the rising discovery of high-value mines in Côte d’Ivoire has driven a surge in demand; the port handled 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate in 2023 and reached 46,375 tons in 2024.
Nevertheless, some citizens have expressed concern, recalling the catastrophic explosion in Beirut’s port in 2020. Of the Zimrida’s 20,000-ton shipment, about 7,656 tons are earmarked for a local client, fueling apprehension among those who question the safety protocols in place. Authorities maintain that all procedures meet international standards, and they vow to continue monitoring the substance’s transit and storage to prevent any accidents or mismanagement that could endanger surrounding communities.