Bad weather still hampers coal shipment from S. Kalimantan to Java

State-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia (Pelindo) said on Monday that coal producers in South Kalimantan are still facing problems in shipping their commodities to Java due to unfavorable weather condition, Media Indonesia reported on Tuesday.

Suryanto, a staff at Pelindo's planning and controlling division in Cirebon, Central Java said high waves and strong wind on Java waters prevented coal carriers from berthing.

He said only one or two barges carrying coal from South Kalimantan were able to berth at the Cirebon Seaport everyday, compared to four or five in normal condition.

?A barge usually carries around 5,000 tons ? 8,000 tons of coal,? he said.

As a result, coal distributors in Central Java are now seeing their stock dwindling and unsure whether they can replenish their stock soon.

?Our stock is now only 30,000 tons, whereas, in normal condition, we have a minimum stock of 50,000," said an executive of PT Cirebon Transport, Muarif Santoso.

The same condition also takes places in Tanjung Intan port in Cilacap, Central Java, according to the newspaper. Two barges carrying coal from South Kalimantan recently come late to the port because of bad weather (*)