Coal barge hits Lalan bridge piles again, disrupting rebuild
Tuesday, February 17 2026 - 08:37 AM WIB
A coal barge struck newly installed piles of the P6 Lalan bridge in Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatra, on Sunday, causing part of the structure to collapse and sink into the Lalan River, authorities said as reported by local media.
Police said the vessel TB Titan 33, towing BG Nautica 22 and assisted by TB Marina 2235, hit the bridge piles at around 5:04 p.m. local time during heavy rain and low river levels.
Lalan Police Chief M. Syazilli said about 2.5 meters of piling collapsed and fell to the riverbed.
“The pile was struck again by a coal barge. We have received information that the vessel has been detained by residents and the Harbourmaster and Port Authority Office,” he said on Monday.
The incident marks another setback for the reconstruction of the P6 Lalan bridge, a key transport link for residents and economic activity in Lalan district. The bridge had previously collapsed in August 2024 after being struck by a coal barge.
Read also: South Sumatra reopens Lalan River for coal transport after repair funds paid
The South Sumatra provincial government reopened the Lalan River for coal transport on Jan. 13 after it was closed from Jan. 1 due to delays in bridge repair funding. The reopening followed the payment of Rp35 billion, about $2 million, by the Association of Lalan River Waterway Users as part of financing for the bridge repairs. The funds were deposited in a regional bank account as a guarantee to ensure continuation of the works.
Provincial authorities said companies were given seven months to complete repairs to the P6 Lalan bridge. Physical repair work resumed on Jan. 2 under a staged disbursement mechanism tied to construction progress.
The Lalan River is a key coal transport route for mines in Musi Banyuasin, particularly after restrictions on coal trucking on public roads took effect at the start of 2026.
A previous incident on Jan. 22 also saw a barge strike a bridge pile, raising concerns over river traffic supervision and safety standards along the busy coal transport corridor.
Editing by Alexander Ginting