How ammonium nitrate arrived on Russian-owned vessel in Beirut seven years ago

The ammonium nitrate which the Lebanon government has blamed for the massive attack in Beirut arrived on a leaky Russian-owned cargo ship seven years ago in the capital.

According to international media reports, the cargo ship Rhosus, was carrying 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate. Boris Prokoshev, who was captain of the Rhosus in 2013, said that the ship was bound for Mozambique, but he was ordered by the owner to make an unscheduled stop in Beirut.

A photo from 2014 shows him with some of the 2,750 bags of ammonium nitrate in the port. These bags match the bags photographed later that blew up. The warehouse pictures also show the name of the company: Rustavi Azot L.L.C. of Georgia, which is also listed on the 2013 shipping documents for the voyage.

The former captain continued that the owner wanted to take on additional freight 'to fund passage through the Suez Canal'. "They were being greedy,” Prokoshev said. However, he added, the machinery was too heavy to load and they failed to load it.

The Lebanese authorities later seized Rhosus after the ship's owner did not pay the port fees and fine. The captain and his crew were also ordered to stay.

What is ammonium nitrate which is being blamed for blast in Beirut?

The cargo was transferred by Lebanese authorities to a warehouse in the port. Prokoshev said authorities in Beirut knew how dangerous the vessel's cargo was and should not have stored it at the port.

In 2015, Rhosus was moved 1,000 feet up the pier, and later in 2018, it sanked and was forgotten along with the chemical.

However, this week the ship's explosive cargo ignited and killed more than 150 people and injuring thousands. The government has ordered officials involved in storing the ammonium nitrate to be put under house arrest pending an investigation.

President Michel Aoun has promised to hold those responsible and those who were negligent accountable.