PTBA expects sales to rise 6%

State coal mining PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA), expects to sell 6 percent more coal this year, the company's corporate secretary Milawarma said.

Sales volume may rise to 10.5 metric tons this year, from 9.9 million tons in 2005, Milawarma told reporters in Jakarta on Thursday.

?We actually received more orders, but to ship the coal we depend on a third party that has limitations on the amount it can transport to customers, he said.

The company sells most of its production to PLN?s subsidiary PT.Indonesia Power that operates 3,400-MW Suralaya power plant in Banten province. PTBA and Indonesia Power are currently locked in stalled negotiation over 2006 coal prices.(*)