Indonesia exported 175.15 million metric tons (mt) of coal in January to May and exports for the full year are expected to be 435 million mt, the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said.
The country exported 458.8 million mt of coal in 2019, data from Indonesia Coal Miners Association (APBI) showed.
The coronavirus crisis “significantly impacted” global coal markets, including Indonesia, according to Pandu Sjahrir, chairman of APBI.
He said 2020 global seaborne demand, which was estimated at 980 million mt before the crisis, had now been revised down to 895 million mt.
Shipments from Indonesia had been hit by the lockdown in China this year and ongoing coronavirus restrictions in India and the Philippines, he said.
“Indonesian thermal coal has been majorly impacted given around 65% of Indonesia thermal coal exports are to those three countries,” Sjahrir said, adding he did not expect global demand for coal to recover to the 2019 level until 2022.
Agung Pribadi, spokesman of the energy ministry, said Indonesia was in discussions to increase exports to new markets such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Indonesia produced 228 million mt of coal up to May, or about 42% of its full-year output target of 550 million mt, the statement said.
