IBT maintains normal operations amid complaints from local residents

South Kalimantan coal terminal operator PT Indonesia Bulk Terminal (IBT) said on Thursday its port operation remains normal despite report about complaints from the local people that dust from the coal terminal had reached far away to their houses.

"Activities in IBT terminal remain normal. The port is currently loading coal to a 70,000-ton vessel and we hope that the work will finish by this afternoon (Thursday)," IBT's senior staff Lanang Poernomo told Petromindo.Com.

According to Poernomo, all cranes at the port are operating normally. "We expect that throughput will reach more than seven million tons by year-end," he added.

IBT's terminal, located on South Pulau Laut, lies on major domestic and international shipping routes. The terminal's major clients are PT Adaro Indonesia, PT Arutmin Indonesia, PT Baramulti, PT Multi Harapan Utama.

The terminal has stockyard capacity of 800,000 metric tons and is capable to receive 85,000 dead weight ton vessels. Last year, throughput from this port reached 6.9 million tons of coal. (robert)