On August 4, 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in the capital city of Lebanon exploded, causing at least 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries and $1 billion in property damage, leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless. The cause? It turned out that the ammonium nitrate had been abandoned on an unseaworthy cargo ship whose bankrupt owner left its crew stranded without food or supplies. The UN Security Council has since met to discuss another ship that authorities worry will cause a similar explosion. Managing physical infrastructure isn’t just important, it’s critical. And in a…

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