Astri Mining Resources secures new contract from Thailand

By Cepi Setiadi

Coal mining company PT Astri Mining Resources is starting to penetrate Thailand?s market this year.

Marketing Director Andi Ananda Manggabarani told Petromindo.com on Monday that the company has secured a new contract from a customer in Thailand for coal supplies of about 110,000 tons per month in the first semester of this year.

?The first shipment will happen between April and May this year,? he said adding that each month the firm will deliver one or two Supramax vessels carrying about 55,000 tons each.

He did not specify the exact amount of coal to be delivered under the contract, while only saying the contract is effective for the first semester of the year.

?But the contract is likely to reach about 500,000 to one million tons,? he said adding that the company is trying to diversify the export destinations to outside of China and India. ?We are starting to penetrate the Southeast Asian market, such as Thailand and Vietnam for our market diversification,? he said.

This year, Astri Mining is expecting to produce about 1.4 million tons from its coal concession in Batu Licin South Kalimantan.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon