ATPK?s coal production far below this year?s target

PT ATPK Resources TBk, a subsidiary of PT. Mega Alam Sejahtera, will unlikely be able to meet its production target this year due to bad weather and land dispute which have partly disrupted production activities during the year.

The company?s director for operation Saur Maruli Silalahi said in Jakarta on Friday that the total production reached only 241,213 metric tons during the period between January and November this year, far below the target of 600,000 metric tons per year.

He said that the company was unable to meet the production target due to high rainfalls as well as land disputes with local residents in some parts of the company?s concession areas. In addition to such problems, the production was lower than expected because the construction of the company?s barge loading conveyor (BLC) has not been completed.

He said that new BLC facility was expected to begin operation this month at a capacity of between 600 tons and 1,000 tons per hour. Once the facility is completed, the total capacity of the company?s conveyor will reach between 150,000 tons and 200,000 tons a month.

With the operation of the new conveyor, ATPK expected to be able to gradually increase its production from 50,000 metric tons to 150,000 metric tons per month next year. Up to November this year, all of its production was sold on domestic market through PT. Bara Jaya Utama.

But this month (December), the company secured a contract to sell 500,000 metric tons per month for three months to Indian company Kyori Oremin Limited. (Giok)