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By Sarah McFarlane
LONDON, April 21 (Reuters) - Belgian shipper Safmarine is loading its first Ivory Coast cocoa exports since the end of the country's export ban, the company's head of commodity sales said on Thursday.
The 27,000 tonne Maersk vessel 'Norfolk' is being loaded by Safmarine in Abidjan with cargo including cocoa, said Safmarine's Didier Willemse.
"A few thousand tonnes of cocoa are being loaded. The cocoa is destined for Northern European locations including Antwerp and Amsterdam," Willemse said.
"I presume she will depart tomorrow or the day after; that's not yet clear."
The world's top grower of cocoa is slowly recovering from a violent post-election power struggle, which ended last week with the arrest of former President Laurent Gbagbo.
Earlier this week shippers said Ivory Coast cocoa exports would reach normal volumes by the end of April at the earliest, as authorities iron out new tax and customs procedures, banks reopen and security improves.
"There are still a lot of local uncertainties, but at least she's loading," Willemse said, adding 'Norfolk' was the first ship Safmarine has loaded with Ivory Coast cocoa on since the crisis.
(Additional reporting by Jonathan Saul, editing by Jane Baird)