ITM says Bontang coal terminal expansion to be completed November

Coal mining firm PT Indo Tambangraya Megah (ITM), the Indonesian holding company of Thai energy firm Banpu PCL said construction of Bontang Coal Terminal expansion will be completed in November 2009, enabling the terminal operating at new throughput capacity of 18.5MTPA.

Chief Marketing & Logistics Planner Aphimuk Taifayongvichit said on Tuesday that the company has completed stockpile expansion construction. Out-loading facilities will be completed in July and in-loading facilities in November, he said.

CEO Somyot Ruchirawat said late last year that the terminal?s throughput capacity is ramped up from 12.5 MTPA, and stock pile capacity would also be ramped up to 650,000 tonnes from 350,000 tonnes.

The company is installing the second haul dump truck and a series of belt conveyers which are able to increase the terminal?s loading rate to 3,000 ton per hour from 1,500 ton per hour currently, he said.

Somyot said the expanded terminal would be able to berth coal vessel with the size of up to 95,000 DWT.

The terminal will be 100 percent used to handle coal production from its subsidiaries.

ITM has four coalmines in East Kalimantan, operated by its subsidiaries Indominco Mandiri, Kitadin, Trubaindo and Bharinto Ekatama respectively. (denny)