Indonesia, the world’s largest exporter of thermal coal, has just allowed 37 ships carrying coal to depart after receiving approval from the authorities, the Coordinating Ministry of Investment and Maritime Affairs announced on 13th. /first.

In a statement released, the ministry said the export ban implemented on January 1 had been relaxed for miners who had met a request to sell part of their output for power generation. local authorities after state agencies buy enough coal at power plants to ensure enough reserves for 15 days.
“I ask that this be closely monitored so that this also becomes the moment for us to improve our management collaboration in the country,” said Luhut Pandjaitan, minister for the Coordination of Maritime Affairs and Investments, .
Making waves in global energy markets, Indonesia introduced an export ban after state-owned power company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) reported coal inventories at power plants fell to critically low levels. causing Indonesia to be on the verge of a large-scale blackout. PLN complained that the miners had not fulfilled their commitments to provide fuel to the company.
Indonesian authorities blame the coal supply crisis on miners failing to meet so-called Domestic Market Obligations (DMOs), which require them to sell 25% of their output to buyers as domestic power plants with a price limit of 70 USD/ton.
The ban by the world’s largest thermal coal exporter has pushed up global coal prices over the past week, and prompted Japan, South Korea and the Philippines to join calls for Indonesia to review its export policy to lower prices. charcoal.
“PLN is the one who declared the coal shortage, while we have helped secure the supply. Hopefully PLN will have a statement on the matter soon,” Energy Minister Arifin Tasrif said at a press conference today. Wednesday (January 12). He said that if the government decides to lift the export ban, it will only partially lift it.
“We will give preference to miners who have fulfilled 100% of their DMO obligations,” added Arifin, referring to “the obligation to supply the domestic market,” in which miners must sell 25% of their output for the domestic market with a maximum price of 70 USD/ton sold to power plants.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Pandjaitan, said on January 10
The government will allow 14 coal tankers to depart after being verified by authorities, a first sign of policy easing.
However, until Wednesday morning (January 12), all 14 coal tankers were still waiting for official approval, Transport Ministry official Mugen Suprihatin Sartoto said.
According to Refinitiv Eikon data, there were about 120 ships lined up or waiting to dock at the Indonesian coal port of Kalimantan on the island of Borneo on January 12.
PLN CEO Darmawan Prasodjo in a statement on MetroTV late Tuesday said the company has secured a commitment of 16.2 million tonnes of coal, while enough coal has been delivered for about seven -9 working days. Government officials say they want the PLN to have at least 15 days of coal reserves.
Previously, after Indonesia’s coal export ban was issued on January 1, a series of Asian countries called on Indonesia to lift the ban on coal exports on the grounds that this policy would be detrimental to other economies. economy that relies heavily on fuel for power generation. In particular, most recently, on January 10, the Philippine Energy Secretary, Alfonso Cusi, had to ask the Department of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the Philippines to intervene and call for the approval of the cooperation mechanism of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Asia (ASEAN). The Philippines is up to 70% dependent on imported coal in 2020.
Meanwhile, from Japan, a spokesman for JERA, Japan’s largest electricity producer, last week also said: “We are closely monitoring developments in negotiations between the local coal industry and the local coal industry. government of Indonesia”, and “In the event of a prolonged ban, we will procure flexible coal through our global trading subsidiary”. Indonesian coal accounted for about 19% of Japan’s total coal demand last fiscal. It has asked Indonesia to allow five ships loaded with coal to begin their journey to Japan.
South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo also video-called his Indonesian counterpart on January 7 and said he was “concerned about Indonesia’s coal export ban and strongly requests the Indonesian government to cooperate to quickly resumption of coal exports”.