P for plunder morocco’s exports of phosphates from occupied Western Sahara, 2012 & 2013
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- Bu səhifədəki naviqasiya:
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Mexico
- (tonnes) Value of phosphate purchased ($ USD)
- THE IMPORTERS, 2013 Table 1. Corporations purchasing phosphate from occupied Western Sahara in 2013.
- Table 2. Corporations purchasing phosphate from occupied Western Sahara in 2012.
- AGRIUM INC (CANADA) 5
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New Zealan d 320,000
Lith ua nia 40 0,0 00 USA 710,000
Oth er 181
,0 00
55,000
70,00
0 Australia 92,000
Venezuela 126,000
Ind ia 156
,00 0
hu an ia 175
,0 00
279,000
298,000
New Zealand 34 3,000 Au stra lia 11 m
ill Can ad a 26 m ill Colombi a 17 mil
l Ot he r 22
m ill
Mexico 41 mill
USA 107 mill
New Ze aland 48 mill
Lithu ania 60 m
ill USA 41 m
ill Ve ne zu ela 23 m ill Au stra lia 11
m ill
Russia 60 m
ill New Zea lan d 48
mil l
16 mill
133 mil
l 11 Rank Corporation Home country of (parent)company Import destination Number of shipments Amount of phosphate purchased (tonnes) Value of phosphate purchased ($ USD) 1 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. Canada
Geismar, USA 11 710,000 $107,000,000 2 Lifosa AB Russia Klaipeda, Lithuania 9 400,000
$60,000,000 3 Innophos Mexicana US Coatzacoalcos, Mexico 5 270,000
$41,000,000 4 Ravensdown Ltd New Zealand Lyttelton/Napier/ Dunedin, New Zealand 4 180,000
$27,000,000 5 Agrium Inc. Canada Vancouver, Canada 3 170,000
$26,000,000 6 Ballance Agri-Nutrients Limited New Zealand Tauranga/Bluff/ Whangarei, New Zealand 3 140,000
$21,000,000 7 Monomeros Colombia Barranquilla, Colombia 5 107,000
$17,000,000 8 Incitec-Pivot Ltd. Australia Portland/ Geelong, Australia 2 70,000 $11,000,000 9 Not known Not known Tuticorin, India 1 50,000
$8,000,000 10 Tripoliven Venezuela Puerto Cabello, Venezuela 3 40,000 $6,000,000 11 ISUSA Uruguay Montevideo, Uruguay 1 25,000
$4,000,000 12 Not known Not known Point Comfort, USA (possibly not phosphates). 1 25,000
$4,000,000 THE IMPORTERS, 2013 Table 1. Corporations purchasing phosphate from occupied Western Sahara in 2013. Aggregated figures, calculated from departing vessels. All figures of volume and value are estima- tions only. A market price averaging $150/tonne through the year (which ranged from $180/tonne at start-of-year to less than $105/tonne at year-end) was used for the calculation of values. 12 THE IMPORTERS, 2012 Rank Corporation Home country of (parent)company Import destination Number of shipments Amount of phosphate purchased (tonnes) Value of phosphate purchased ($ USD) 1 Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. Canada
Geismar, USA
6 298,000
$55,000,000 2 Innophos Mexicana USA Coatzacoalcos, Mexico 6
$52,000,000 3 Ravensdown Ltd New Zealand Lyttelton/Napier/ Dunedin, New Zealand 4 185,000
$34,000,000 4 Lifosa AB Russia Klaipeda, Lithuania 6 175,000 $32,000,000 5 Ballance Agri- Nutrients Ltd New Zealand Tauranga/Bluff/ Whangarei, New Zealand 3 158,000
$29,000,000 6 Unknown Unknown Tuticorin, India 3
$29,000,000 7 Tripoliven, CA Venezuela Puerto Cabello, Venezuela 5 126,000 $23,000,000 8 Monomeros S.A. Venezuela Baranquilla, Colombia 4 84,000 $15,500,000 9 Incitec Pivot Ltd. Australia Portland/Geelong, Australia 2 60,000 $11,000,000 10 Unknown Unknown South Korea 2 70,000
$13,000,000 11 Unknown Unknown Argentina 1 55,000
$10,200,000 12 Unknown Unknown Ukraine
2 47,000
$8,700,000 13 Impact Fertilisers Pty. Ltd. Australia Risdon, Australia 1 32,000
$6,000,000 14 Unknown Unknown Brazil
1 25,000
$4,600,000 15 ISUSA Uruguay Montevideo, Uruguay 1
$4,600,000 Table 2. Corporations purchasing phosphate from occupied Western Sahara in 2012. Aggregated figures, calculated from departing vessels. All figures of volume and value are estimations only. A market price averaging $185/tonne through the year (which ranged from just over $200/tonne to less than $180/tonne) was used for the calculation of values. 13 COMPANIES INVOLVED IN THE TRADE 10 known companies and co-operatives involved in the imports of Western Sahara phosphates have been identified. Listed in the order of their involvement in 2013. 14 The biggest importer of Western Saharan phosphate through deals with Morocco is the Canadian based Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc (or PotashCorp). PotashCorp commenced importing from the occupied territories in 1996, when it had acquired Arcadian Corp – which at the time had imported from occupied Western Sahara since the 1980s. PotashCorp is based in Saskatchewan, Canada. PotashCorp operates a phosphoric acid plant in Geismar, Louisiana, USA, where phosphate rock from Western Sahara is imported and processed. The company imports via long-term agreements with the Moroccan state-owned OCP, and prices and volumes are set at prescribed dates through negotiation. PotashCorp is registered on the Toronto Stock Exchange. THE 2012-2013 IMPORTS Over the course of 2013, PotashCorp has received 11 shipments, according to WSRW’s research. In total, the company received around 710,000 mt, worth an estimated US $ 107 million. That volume was more than doubled from 2012. PotashCorp, alone, accounted for a third of all phosphate purchases from Western Sahara in 2013.
WSRW has contacted PotashCorp on several occasions. The first letter, in October 2008, remains unanswered. 19 After a second letter in January 2011, PotashCorp referred to a statement they had issued on their website in April 2011, “Phosphate Rock from Western Sahara”. 20 The statement contained a number of erroneous claims about international law and the US government position. The company went as far as copy-pasting quotes from a speech by a pro-Moroccan Congressman - and claiming that the quote was in fact from the US government, and arguing that West- ern Sahara should be part of Morocco. WSRW sent another letter on 26 April 2011, commenting on the factual errors and political bluntness in PotashCorp’s statement, but this letter was not answered. 21 PotashCorp did revise its public statement in April 2012 22 , correcting some fac- tual errors, misquotes and politically unfortunate statements, as outlined by WSRW. Peculiarly, PotashCorp concluded that abstaining from trading with phosphates in Western Sahara would be a political action, while undertaking the trade was apolitical. A fourth WSRW letter was sent in April 2013. 23 PotashCorp replied by sending yet another reference to its, yet again, revised statement. 24
at the pier in El Aaiun, occupied Western Sahara, 5 December 2012. The vessel headed then to Potash Corp, US. In the background a queue of bulk vessels waiting to load. Potash Corp’s plant near New Orleans has for decades been the biggest importer of phosphates from Western Sahara. 1 POTASH CORPORATION OF SASKATCHEWAN INC (US/CANADA) 15 Lifosa AB, a Lithuanian producer of phosphate mineral fertilisers, was the second biggest importer in 2013 from occupied territory. Starting out as a state-owned firm in 1952, Lifosa was privatised in 1996 and listed on the NASDAQ OMX Vilnius exchange. Since 2002, Lifosa has become near fully owned by EuroChem, a mainly privately owned Russian fertilizer company based in Moscow. The company imports phosphates to Klaipeda, Lithuania. THE 2012-2013 IMPORTS WSRW can reveal that in 2013, Lifosa has received 9 large shipments of phos- phate rock from the Bou Craa mines, corresponding to roughly 400,000 mt. Our estimates suggest that these came with a bill of around US $ 60 million. THE CORRESPONDENCE The company admitted to WSRW in December 2006 that they imported from El Aaiun, Western Sahara. After numerous observed vessels to harbour of Klaipeda, WSRW approached Lifosa in September 2010. 25 Lifosa did not reply until after WSRW had signalled the firm’s imports to the UN Global Compact, a UN initiative on Corporate Social Responsibility which Lifosa was adhering to. Lifosa stated it has no long term contract with OCP but rather signs quarterly agreements, in addition to agreeing specific supplies with OCP over email. According to Lifosa’s own figures, the company imported 250,000 mt in 2008, 120,000 mt in 2009 and 465,000 mt in 2010. Lifosa admitted to have never consulted representatives of the Saharawi people of Western Sahara. 26
WSRW’s follow up question, on whether Lifosa would follow the example of other fertiliser producers internationally and end its imports from Western Sahara, was left unanswered, even after several interventions by United Nations Global Compact. This ultimately led to Global Compact removing Lifosa from the list of adhering corporations on 6 June 2011. 27
After continuous shipments to Klaipeda, WSRW once again wrote to the company in 2012, asking them to consider ending the imports and whether they had by now consulted with the Saharawi people to assure full respec't and com- pliance with their wishes and interests. 28 The firm then stated that it had already decreased its imports from Western Sahara. The firm also indicated its openness to talk with representatives of Western Sahara, in coordination with WSRW. 29 The
following correspondence resulted in a concrete proposal from WSRW to meet in early spring 2013. Lifosa never answered. On 27 August 2013, WSRW again took the initiative to confront the firm on their continued purchases of Western Saharan phosphate rock. 30 The company then asked WSRW to contact EuroChem. 31 WSRW
confronted EuroChem on 22 March 2014, and is yet to receive answer. 32
The statement from Lifosa in 2012 that it had “decreased” the imports was true for 2012 –compared to the 2010 imports. However, our estimations for 2013 show that it was doubled that year, back to 400,000 tonnes, almost back to 2010 level. The statement of “reduction” is thus no longer valid. The vessel Interlink Acuity seen discharging phosphates from Western Sahara at the Klaipeda docks in Lithuania, on 27 August 2012. Lifosa was the second biggest importer of phosphate rock from the occupied territory in 2013. 2 LIFOSA AB (LITHUANIA/RUSSIA) 16 INNOPHOS MEXICANA (MEXICO/US) 3 Coral Queen spotted out of Algeciras, Spain, on its way to El Aaiun. The vessel proceeded then directly to Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. The local importer, Innophos, was the third biggest importer of phosphates in 2013 The Mexican importing company Innophos Mexicana S.A. de C.V is 100% owned by Innophos Holdings, Inc, registered on NASDAQ. Innophos signed an agreement for phosphate supplies with OCP in 1992, which lasted until September 2010, with an option to extend until end of December 2010. 33 However, after expiration of that agreement, WSRW has kept observing continuous shipments from El Aaiun to their port of imports, Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. Innophos Holdings' latest annual report states they “import phosphate rock for our Coatzacoalcos, Mexico site from multiple global suppliers. We are currently capable of successfully processing industrial scale quantities of phosphate rock from five separate suppliers and, for 2014, we expect the majority of our requirements to be met from two of these suppliers. Previously, the Coatzacoalcos facility was supplied exclusively by OCP, S.A.” and that the company has “agreements with two preferred phosphate rock suppliers for 2014”. 34 WSRW has verified information that Innophos imported shipments from the Bou Craa mine from 2006 to 2008. In previous years, the importing subsidiary of Innophos Holding was referred to as “Innophos Mexicana S.A.de C.V”. However, in the latest financial report for 2013, such company does not appear in list of subsidiaries of Innophos Holdings. Logically, the importing company would have been renamed or the imports are now done to another of the “Innophos Mexicana” subsidiaries in the group. THE 2012-2013 IMPORTS According to WSRW’s research, Coatzacoalcos harbour received five cargos of Saharawi phosphate in 2013. WSRW has not received confirmation that these vessels were to Innophos, but WSRW still considers it certain. Questions to Innophos regarding the five vessels in 2013 have not been responded to 35 .The company would have received approximately 270,000 mt of phosphate rock from the Bou Craa mines in 2013, worth an estimated US $ 41 million. The purchased volume during the two years 2012 and 2013 were near identical.
On 15 October 2010 and 8 December 2011, WSRW sent letters to the mother firm Innophos Holdings, Inc. 36 WSRW underlined that the trade with Western Sahara phosphates from the occupied territory is unethical and in violation of international law. The firm has never replied to the letters, which urged the company to halt the trade. WSRW has also asked Innophos Inc’s lobby firm K&L Gates to terminate its partnership with Innophos, and to clarify what role they have played in lobbying the Western Sahara issue in the US on behalf of Innophos, as well as to explain what they have done to find out whether the trade is according to the wishes of the Saharawi people. 37 As opposed to other registered companies approached by ethical investors regarding this trade, Innophos is not known to have responded to requests from owners. K&L Gates has also not responded. 17 RAVENSDOWN LTD (NEW ZEALAND) 4 Noble Pacific at dock in Taranaki, New Zealand, on 30 May 2013, discharging phosphates from Western Sahara. When ranged by country, New Zealand is the third biggest importer of the phosphate rock from the occupied country. The company is a farmer owned co-operative and not listed on any stock exchange. The company imports to its plants in Lyttelton, Napier and Dunedin.
According to our research, Ravensdown has received four shipments of phosphate from occupied Western Sahara throughout 2013. The four shipments combined would equal around 180,000 mt in 2013, worth approximately US $ 25 million, a near identical volume as that of 2012.
WSRW requested Ravensdown on 4 May 2014 for details regarding the imports. The company answered on 3 June 2014 that they do not wish to disclose whether they have been in contact with the people of Western Sahara "due to commercial sensitivity". It stated that it leans on the advice from the New Zealand government on the matter. 38
(CANADA) 5 Canada’s Agrium started importing phos- phates from Western Sahara for the first time during the autumn of 2013. The bulk vessel Ultra Bellambi is here seen arriving Vancouver harbour with phosphates from the occupied territory. Ultra Bellambi was the second Saharawi shipment ever received by Agrium. Agrium Inc is the latest company to have joined the list of long term importers of West- ern Saharan phosphate. Agrium is a public traded company, based in Calgary, Canada. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange. Agrium Inc signed a contract with OCP in 2011, and announced it would start importing in the second half of 2013. 39 A first shipment arrived to Vancouver in October 2013. Agrium Inc confirmed that it would import one million mt each year until 2020, and that part of those imports will be sourced in Western Sahara. 40 The process plant is located at Redwater, Alberta. THE 2012-2013 IMPORTS In the span of the three last months of 2013, Agrium Inc received three shipments of Saharawi phosphate; a total of around 170,000 mt, to the tune of approximately US $ 26 million. THE CORRESPONDENCE WSRW contacted Agrium Inc in April 2013, half a year before the first shipment, ask- ing the company to refrain from importing from the Bou Craa mines through their new contract with OCP. At the end of that August, Agrium replied that is convinced its agreement with OCP complies with trade and custom laws of the jurisdictions of the US and Canada. In reply to WSRW’s follow-up letter of 17 October 2013, raising further questions on the legal evaluations cited by Agrium, the company replied that it could not disclose those documents. 41
BALLANCE AGRI-NUTRIENTS LTD (NEW ZEALAND) 6 Bulk Titan at the harbour of Tauranga, 31 Dec 2012. The local importer is Ballance Agri-Nutrients. Ballance Agri-Nutrients has manufacturing plants in Invercargill and Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. Until September 2013 it also had a plant in Whangarei. It is a farmer-owned cooperative, and not registered on any stock exchange. 42
its name to Ballance Agri-Nutrients Ltd in 2001. Before, BOP Fertiliser would purchase plants and bought shares in other NZ based fertiliser companies. For example BOP bought the Whangarei based plant from Fernz in 1998, while obtaining a 20% share in Fernz a year later. 43 At that time Fernz was already a long term client of Bou Craa phosphates. The firm signed a long-term agreement with OCP in 1999, requiring OCP to sup- ply phosphates to Ballance. 44 Ballance executives have on at least one occasion visited the Bou Craa mines in the occupied territory. 45
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