PLN allowed to use foreign coal vessels until 2010
Thursday, February 28 2008 - 07:57 AM WIB
State electricity firm PLN is allowed to use foreign flagged vessel to transport coal to its power plant untuil January 1, 2010, a government official said on Thursday.
Ministry of Transportation?s Director General of Sea Transportation Effendi Batubara told reporters that PLN would not need special permit from his ministry to charter foreign vessels. ?PLN can directly deal with ship owners without having to get approval from us,? he said.
He said the decision was made to ensure PLN?s coal-fired power plants could produce electricity for Java-Bali consumption.
PLN has been barred to use foreign ?flagged vessels after government issue the sabotage regulation, which forbids foreign-flagged vessels to transport goods within the country. The ruling will be 100 percent enforced in 2010. (bernard)