KAI And PTBA Sign Coal Transport Agreement

President Director of KAI Didiek Hartantyo. (Photo: Doc. KAI)

JAKARTA - PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) and PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) signed a short-term coal transportation agreement for the Tanjung Enim Baru-Tataran and Tanjung Enim Baru-Kertapati relations for the period 2023-2027.

In addition, the two companies also signed a coal transportation development framework agreement for Tanjung Enim Baru-Karamasan. The signing was carried out by KAI President Director Didiek Hartantyo and PTBA President Director Arsal Ismail at the Jakarta Railway Center (JRC), Central Jakarta, Thursday, October 12.

KAI President Director Didiek Hartantyo said the purpose of these two agreements was to optimize coal transportation by train.

He said, this collaboration is very important because of its enormous benefits.

Furthermore, Didiek said that KAI goods transportation is here to support competitive logistics costs and reduce the impact of externality such as congestion, pollution, damaged roads, and increase global competitiveness.

One of the additional transportation of goods using trains is the large carrying capacity compared to other modes of transportation. One carriage can carry 50 tons or the size of 2 container trucks. In fact, a series of coal transport trains in southern Sumatra can pull 60 carriages or 3,000 tons at once. If the truck is transported, there need to be approximately 120 trucks," said Didiek in an official statement.

Didiek continued, the synergy between KAI and PTBA is a form of core value AKHLAK to continue to collaborate, which is expected to obtain long-term optimization and commitment to coal transportation in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

Meanwhile, PTBA President Director Arsal Ismail expressed his hope that the signing of this cooperation agreement could support the plan to increase PTBA's coal production.

"Reliability of coal transportation is a strategic thing to support PTBA's performance. With the signing of this cooperation agreement, it is hoped that PTBA can continue to contribute in maintaining national energy security," said Arsal.

Arsal hopes that this synergy will also be the first step for PTBA and KAI to cooperate in other development in the future.

"As we also signed together today, cooperation in the development of Tanjung Enim Baru-Keramasan transportation. Hopefully in the future there will be many new collaborations in opening up opportunities for new routes and other new business development," he said.

PTBA's coal transportation using trains continues to increase from year to year. In 2021, KAI will carry a total of 25.4 million tons of PTBA coal. Then increased 13 percent in 2022 to 28.8 million tons.

Meanwhile, in 2023, PTBA's total coal transportation using trains is targeted to reach 29.2 million tons.

With the signing of this agreement, the volume of coal transportation will continue to be increased until 2027, up to 35 million tons for the Tanjung Enim Baru-Tataran and Tanjung Enim Baru-Kertapati relations.

"Hopefully PT KAI can always be PTBA's mainstay partner to develop and progress together for the progress of Indonesia," concluded Arsal.