PTBA?s Tarahan coal terminal tender attracts 15 bidders

State-owned coal miner PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam's (PTBA) tender of engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) for its new coal terminal in Tarahan in Lampung has attracted 15 foreign and domestic firms.

The new coal terminal will capable of handling a capsize vessel with capacity of 150,000 dead weight tons (dwt). The investment for the project is around US$135 million (1US$ = Rp 8,935), a company's official who wanted to remain anonymous recently told Petromindo.com .

The company said that the construction of the new terminal is aimed to anticipate growing coal deliveries from PTBA?s Tanjung Enim mine in South Sumatra to Tarahan port through existing railway owned by PT Kerata Api Indonesia.

The winner is expected to be announced "between the end of this year and first quarter of next year", he said, adding that the new terminal will start operation in 2013.

Currently, PTBA has one coal terminal in Tarahan with capacity of 80,000 dwt with throughput of 12 million tons per annum and stockpile capacity of 560,000 tons. (denny)