PTBA and PT KAI agree on tariff of coal transportation

State owned coal producer PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA) and state owned railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) have finally agreed on the new coal transportation tariffs issued by the government recently, Kompas reported on Monday.

Under the new tariff, which began effective beginning January 1, 2002 until December 31, the cost of the coal transportation from Tanjung Enim to Tarahan coal terminal in Lampung is Rp 37,000 (1$=Rp9,000) per ton if the volume of coal transported reach 8.5 million tons or more a year. While the tariff of the coal transportation from Tanjung Enim to Kertapati is about Rp 20,000 per ton if the volume reach 2 million tons or more a year.

The previous tariff from Tanjung Enim to Tarahan to was set progressively at between Rp 25,000 to Rp 30,000 per ton while those for Tanjung Enim and Kertapati was set at Rp 13,600 per ton.

The government set the tariff after the two companies failed to reach agreement on the new tariff proposed by PT KAI.

PTBA which operates coal mining areas in Tanjung Enim, South Sumatra transports a larger part of its coal through the specially designed coal terminal in Tarahan, Lampung. From there, the coal is shipped to the Suralaya power plant in Merak, Banten and other domestic and overseas buyers. (*)