Baramulti resumes coal loading activities in S. Kalimantan

South Kalimantan-based coalminer PT Baramulti Sugih Sentosa (BSS) Wednesday resumed its coal loading activities after the local police reopened its port, local daily Banjarmasin Post reported on Thursday.

The Banjarmasin police said that humanitarian considerations had been behind their decision to allow the coal producer to continue its activities at its port. Company workers had previously appealed to the police to reopen the port, said Andy Kirnanda, head of the city police?s criminal section.

Andy said, however, that they would continue investigating the coal port case.

The police seized BSS?s coal port early June on the ground that it had operated the facility without legal permit. The port could be operated only with licenses from the ministry of transportation, and not the local transportation authority, the police argued.

Also in early June, the Banjarmasin police confiscated the coal port of another coalminer, PT Dasa Eka Jasatama (DEJ) for the same reason.

Many coal ports in South Kalimantan reportedly operate without legal permit. (*)