Cirebon Port applies tight procedure for coal unloading, loading

The Cirebon Port authority in West Java has applied tight procedure for coal unloading and loading activities to help prevent air pollution from resulting dust to the local environment, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Thursday.

The paper quoted Head of the Cirebon Port Revolindo as saying that the coal unloading and loading activities were resumed on Tuesday.

He said that tight procedure has been applied such as putting in place dust net to help minimize air pollution, sprinkling of water in the field prior to coal being unloaded from the vessels, and requiring trucks transporting the coal from the vessels to be covered to prevent dust from flying around.

All of these measures hopefully can avoid air pollution to the local environment, which had been protested by the local residents that had led to the suspension of the coal activities at the port since March of this year.

The suspension was protested by manufacturing industries in West Java which need the coal as source of energy. The Ministry of Transportation earlier this month issued a letter instructing state-owned port operator PT Pelindo II to resume coal loading and unloading activities at the Cirebon Port. Pelindo II manages the port.

Cirebon Mayor Nasrudin said earlier that he would push for a permanent stop of the coal activities at the port if it continues to cause air pollution. (*)