Pelindo II to double coal handling capacity of Bengkulu port

By Thomas Sembiring

State-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II (Pelindo II) plans to double the coal handling capacity of its Pulau Baai Port in Bengkulu Province by adding a new coal jetty.

?We plan to develop another jetty. The capacity will be increased from 5 million tons to 10 million tons (per year),? said Saptono R. Irianto, Director of Business Development of Pelindo II on the sidelines of the 4th Annual Coal Buyers and Producers Meeting on Wednesday, organized by Petromindo.com.

He explained that the construction of a new coal jetty forms part of the overall expansion of the Pulau Baai Port which will also be equipped with a 2x100 MW coal-fired power plant. He said that when the power plant has been completed, the coal handling capacity of the port would be further increased to 12 million tons per year.

He could not provide specific timeline for the expansion as it would depend on coal price development. He said that if the coal price remains weak, the expansion plan would have to be put on hold.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak