# Western Sahara sovereignty dispute – Phosphate vessel released

> A disputed cargo of 50,000 tonnes of phosphate rock aboard the bulk carrier Cherry Blossom was released after about a year's seizure in South Africa. The cargo had been seized by the Polisario Front over its claim that mining in Western Sahara was illegal, and was ultimately sold for a nominal sum to OCP, which had been bound for New Zealand's Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

- Date: 2018-06-18 · published 2018-06-18T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: geopolitics · region Western Sahara · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/64844-western-sahara-sovereignty-dispute-phosphate-vessel-released
- Commodities: [Phosphate Rock](https://feedsoft.ai/c/PHOSROCK.md)

## Why it matters

The release clears a single cargo of phosphate rock, so the direct supply effect is small, but the case shows ongoing legal risk for Western Sahara phosphate exports that could raise shipping and sourcing costs.

## Read by commodity

- PHOSROCK: neutral

## Sources

- bairdmaritime.com: https://www.bairdmaritime.com/ausmarine/ausmarine-shipping-and-offshore/phosphate-vessel-released

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.