Altus starts E. Kalimantan transhippers ops

PT Altus Lines Indonesia, a unit of Singapore-based shipping and logistics firm Altus Group said its two new transhippers Quito AKM-3 and Quito AKM-5 had started operations in Tarakan port, East Kalimantan early this month.

General Manager Irwan Susanto told Petromindo.Com on Friday that the transhippers would achieve full operations in March.

The trans-shippers are contracted to East Kalimantan coal mining firm Mandiri Intiperkasa for five years, starting February 2009. The trans-shippers will have combined maximum capacity of 20,000 tonnes per day with guaranteed capacity of 18,000 TPD.

Under the contract Mandiri would provide minimum tonnage of 2 million tonnes per annum in the first three years, ramping to 2.25MTPA in the fourth and fifth year.

According to Irwan, the transhippers still have spare capacity of 1.5-2MTPA, which can be used to service customers other than Mandiri. ?We can take other customers with Mandiri?s consent,? he said. Next week, he said, one of the transhippers will perform service to load half a panamax of coal for miner PT.Pipit Mutiara Jaya. ?We?re also in talks with Adani,? he said, adding that potential customers for the transhippers would be miners operating in Tarakan and Bunyu island. (denny)