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The big explosion in Beirut was caused by a fire in a port warehouse where a large amount of dangerous ammonium nitrate was stored for a long time. This chemical is used as both a fertilizer and an explosive.
Several companies load ammonium nitrate into the port of Klaipėda: AB KLASCO, UAB Bega, UAB Vakarų krova, UAB Klaipėdos container terminal and LKAB Klaipėdos Smeltė.
To reassure the residents, Klasco invited the community, municipalities and other interested representatives to a tour of the area on Wednesday, ensuring that there is really no threat to this shipment.
“I can guarantee it one hundred percent, there is really no danger. No way. One hundred percent. As the saying goes, I guarantee both my own name and that of the company. I guarantee that there can be no language,” said Vytautas Štumbergas, the director of Klasco.
J. Andriejauskaitė / 15min photo / Klasco waffle Vytautas Štumbergas
The company loads ammonium nitrate fertilizers in the winter port. This place becomes a refuge for the small ships that carry this cargo. Here, as the manager assured, waves are avoided, so the boat does not press on the water during loading. This prevents sudden loading or tearing of large sacks of these fertilizers, as well as the release of nitrate into the environment. V. Štumberg assured that loading this cargo in the winter port ensures that the product will be safe on the ship. Nitrate is loaded packed in big bags, generally 500 kg. The bags themselves are four to five layers, airtight and durable. Not only the company is interested in safely loading fertilizers, but also the crew who have to transport this dangerous cargo.
V. Štumberg also described as rumors spread by the public that there are fertilizers stored in the warehouses of Klasco for grains.
“If I checked and found a warehouse where cereals were grown, I would lose my permission to store cereals. This represents a large amount of cargo tonnage. To risk something … I would not risk it, “said V. Štumberg.
Nitrates in the EU and third countries are different
During the meeting, V. Štumberg said that nitrate produced by the European Union and third countries is different. And what happened in Beirut is a tragedy due to improper storage of ammonium nitrate.
“We only load Achema products, ammonium nitrate or nitrate. The wagons arrive, which are unloaded directly from the semi-trailers to the ship. It is allowed to store at the dock in accordance with the requirements strictly defined by the EU directives. Yes we speak from the ammonium nitrate that we load, which is different from third countries, we have magnesium nitrate. It is like an absorbent, an inert substance that prevents the release of dangerous substances into the environment: ammonia, nitrogen. It becomes resistant to fire and explosions.
If we wanted to burn our ammonium nitrate, we would not burn it, it would dissolve, said V. Štumberg. – Our ammonium nitrate is as white as sugar. In third countries, brown like burnt sugar. It is aggressive, quite harmful, its evaporation is quite high. From us, there is no smell. You can smell it, keep it in the room, you won’t even smell this product. “
According to the manager, the nitrate was stored in third countries in Beirut and is known to come from Sakartwell. This was said to be without protective additives.
J. Andriejauskaitė / 15 min photo / ammonium nitrate
“Salietra has been in storage for six years. Storage of nitrate in bulk is very limited according to EU regulations. There may be very small quantities and high requirements for warehouses. In Klaipeda, we don’t have a single company that can do that. Both Klasco and other port companies should not do this. For my company, I guarantee that it is not implemented.
What happened in Beirut was a warehouse, leaky, high humidity. In six years, crystallization took place, becoming no longer a volume but a large single charge. It was poor quality storage. It was decided to make repairs due to airtightness, fire work was carried out in the warehouse, and there was a nearby pyrotechnic warehouse, which ignited the explosion and brought it to nitrate. It has become explosive, “said V. Štumberg.
During the visit to the Klasco area, about 1,000 tons of nitrate were stored here, which the ship will set sail in the next few days. Under the permit, the company said it could temporarily store up to 15,000 tons of this fertilizer at the dock. V. Štumberg says that he notices a downward trend in these shipments. The consumption of ammonium nitrate in Europe is decreasing, which is related to the popularization of a healthy lifestyle and the protection of the environment.
Allows temporary storage
Renata Strazdauskienė, Dangerous Goods Inspector of the Port Supervision Division of the Klaipeda State Port Authority, emphasized that the storage of dangerous cargo, including ammonium nitrate fertilizers, in the port of Klaipeda is prohibited.
“Cargo is brought to the port area only for temporary storage and only for loading onto ships. The amounts are constantly changing. As much as it is currently, it is quite difficult to say. It is not regulated how much can be temporarily stored at a time. If containerized cargo can be stored for up to 20 days, the period can be extended only in exceptional cases. Storage is short-term, as it is treated as a dangerous cargo with certain properties, ”said R. Strazdauskienė.
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