Nickel ore shipment to China disrupted: Official

A government official said on Thursday that nickel ore shipment from Indonesia to China was likely disrupted after vessels carrying the commodity sank in Japan?s water recently.

Alberth Yusuf Tubogu, the trade ministry's director for industry and mining products exports, said the two vessels, MV Jian Fu Star and MV. Nasco Diamond, capsized on October 27 and November 9 respectively.

MW Nasco was carrying 55,000 tons of nickel ore, he said but he did not know who the buyer was. ?It?s a big quantity,? he said without disclosing the volume of nickel ore aboard the other vessel. (*)