Berau Coal shipped 1.256 million tons of coal in Q1 2002

East Kalimantan based coal-mining firm Berau Coal on Wednesday said during the first quarter of 2001 it had shipped 1.256 million tons of coal including 309,000 tons to domestic market.

Company president Jeffrey Muljono said that the company shipped 405,000 tons in January, 280,000 tons in February and 570,000 tons in March.

?Our shipment rate fell sharply in February due to heavy rain that slowing down coal transportation and loading process,? said Jeffrey.

Jeffrey said Berau set to sharply increase shipment rate to 2.11 million tons in the second quarter of this year.

Berau Coal targets it 2002 coal output at around 8 million tons while in 2001, the company produced 6.7 million tons.

The company is 60 percent owned by United Tractors which plans to divest its entire stake this year, while Armadian Tritunggal and Japan trading powerhouse Nissho Iwai hold 30 percent and 10 percent, respectively. (godang)