Wollongong doesn't have to worry about a Beirut-style explosion at Port Kembla.
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On Wednesday, a massive 27,000-tonne stockpile of ammonium nitrate in Beirut exploded, killing at least 1000 people and injuring more than 4000 others.
Ammonium nitrate had been stored in a portside warehouse for six years.
The explosion has raised concerns in NSW port cities as to the presence of the chemical but a spokeswoman for NSW Ports, which holds a 99-year lease of Port Kembla, said there was nothing for the Illawarra to worry about.
"I can confirm there is no ammonium nitrate at Port Kembla," the spokeswoman said.
The chemical is commonly used in fertilisers and there are three companies at the port that hold fertiliser stockpiles - Incitec Pivot, and the GrainCorp and Quattro grain terminals.
The Quattro terminal stores fertiliser in a large shed, the sale of which is a sideline business to its storage of grain.
Terminal manager Dene Laidlaw said there were no safety issues raised by the fertiliser.
"We handle other fertiliser types and nothing we have has the explosive capabilities that ammonium nitrate does," Mr Laidlaw said.
"We've got nothing to do with ammonium nitrate."
GrainCorp is also understood to store fertiliser at Port Kembla.
"GrainCorp does not store any products containing ammonium nitrate at Port Kembla or at any site in our network, for that matter," a spokeswoman for GrainCorp said.
"We're unaware of what other operations are storing at the port."
An Incitec Pivot spokeswoman said the chemical was not stored at its facility at the port.
"Ammonium nitrate is not stored at our distribution centre at Port Kembla where fertiliser is dispatched to farmers via our dealers," the spokeswoman said.
A spokeswoman for the NSW Port Authority said at strict limitations were in place for the importation of ammonium nitrate to any port in the state.
No more than 400 tonnes can be handled at a berth at any one time - and only if it inside approved freight containers.
Transported in any other way, the limit is just 150 tonnes.
"At Port Kembla, an additional quantity of ammonium nitrate not exceeding 1000 tonnes may be conveyed on a vessel at an ordinary berth as transit cargo (ie cargo remaining on board)," the spokeswoman said.
"Such quantities shall be packed in freight containers, flexible bulk containers or other packaging, or packed in bulk in a freight container."
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Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
