Beirut blast: tracing the explosives that tore the capital apart

The tragic explosion at Beirut’s port will focus port authorities and governments on ensuring goods stored at ports are done so safely. According to a report by Aljazeera, the ammonium nitrate which looks likely to have been the cause of the explosion was on its way from Georgia to Mozambique six years ago. However, the ship was forced to dock at Beirut with technical problems, and officials in Lebanon prevented it from leaving. The owners ended up abandoning the ship and shipment, and the cargo was offloaded at Hangar 12 at the port. Over the next years, Customs officials repeatedly requested a solution, but no answers were forthcoming. Read this Aljazeera report – it’s really interesting and well-researched.