History! Indonesia’s Coal Exports to the European Union Jumped 1,300%

The volume of value and exports of Indonesia’s coal to the European Union shot in 2022. The surge in exports was supported by high demand and price after the Russian-Ukraine war erupted. The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported that Indonesia’s coal export volume to the European Union touched 5, 85 million tons in January-December 2022. The volume jumped 1,373% compared to 2021 which only recorded 396,582 tons. In terms of value, Indonesia’s coal exports to the European Union broke through US $ 1,055 billion throughout 2022. This value shot 4.114% compared to 2021 which reached US $ 25,044 million.

Italy, Spain, Germany, to Poland are several countries that increase Indonesian coal ordering in very large numbers. Italy imported Indonesia’s coal worth US $ 418.14 million in January-December 2022. This achievement was extraordinary considering Italy was not recorded importing Indonesian coal in 2021. Meanwhile, based on BPS records until October 2022, the largest export volume of exports to the European Union is to Poland. The volume of coal exports to Poland reaches 1.9 million tons. The second order is Italy at 1.13 million tons and the Netherlands with 1.04 million tons.

Other European Union countries that recorded a large volume of exports in January-October were Slovenia (143 thousand tons), Switzerland (111 thousand tons), and Croatia (139 thousand tons). Except Slovenia, almost all European Union countries did not import Indonesia’s coal in 2021. Previously, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources had estimated coal exports to Europe, including the European Union and Britain, would record a record in 2022. Exports to all European regions were estimated to reach 6.6 million tons. The previous biggest achievement was 6.2 million tons in 2012.

January 19, 2023, CNBC Indonesia

(https://www.cnbcindonesia.com/market/20230119051620-17-406618/sejarah-ekspor-batu-bara-ri-ke-uni-eropa-melonjak-1300)

BASF, Eramet Near $ 2.6 B Indonesia Deal to Process Nickel for Ev Batteries

Germany’s BASF and French miner Eramet are finalizing a US$2.6 billion partnership deal to invest in a facility in Indonesia to process nickel for use in batteries for electric vehicles, Indonesian officials said. The announcement comes as Southeast Asia’s biggest economy has been courting global companies to build facilities to produce EV batteries and electric cars to exploit the country’s rich nickel resources. The project investment would be worth around 2.4 billion euros ($2.59 billion), the investment ministry said, citing BASF chief executive Martin Brudermüller. The project would be developed in Indonesia’s Weda Bay to produce mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) from nickel through a high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) plant, it said. MHP is used in electric vehicle batteries.

“We would like to convey that our agreement with Eramet is at the final stage. It is likely that our decision will be taken in the first half of 2023,” the ministry quoted Brudermüller as saying.

“BASF and Eramet’s investment plan was in line with the government’s “aspirations to set up Indonesia as a world-class EV player,” said Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia.

Indonesia is also finalizing agreements with Chinese automaker BYD Group and Tesla to invest in EV production facilities, a senior cabinet minister said on Tuesday. Once the biggest supplier of nickel to the global stainless-steel industry, nickel producers in Indonesia have been retooling so they can take advantage of the growing demand for nickel in batteries. While overall battery demand for nickel makes up a small portion of the 3 million tons market, Indonesia is primed to become the world’s biggest supplier as it builds out some 4.5 million tons of capacity that can supply both markets over the next five years, analysts estimate.

An investor presentation by Eramet this month showed that the planned new plant is expected to start production in early 2026, subject to a final investment decision, with an output capacity of up to 67,000 tons of nickel and around 7,000 tons of cobalt per year containing in MHP. Investment into MHP production in Indonesia has so far been dominated by Chinese companies such as Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt and Tsingshan Holding Group.

Eramet would own 51 percent of the project, while BASF would hold 49 percent, the presentation showed. BASF and Eramet could not immediately be reached for comment. Separately, Australia’s Nickel Industries said on Wednesday it will raise $471 million in capital to help fund the acquisition of several nickel projects in Indonesia. To develop battery nickel, the company will also look to collaborate with Shanghai Decent Investment (Group) Co Ltd, a unit of the Tsingshan Group.

January 18, 2023, The Jakarta Post

(https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2023/01/18/basf-eramet-near-26-b-indonesia-deal-to-process-nickel-for-ev-batteries.html)

Luhut: Indonesia is Confident Does Not Import Fossil Fuels in 2045

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Panjaitan said Indonesia no longer imported fossil fuels in 2045. This he explained based on the research he had done. According to him, commodities that will replace or alternative fossil fuels are palm oil. Luhut said that in 2045, Indonesia could produce around 100 million tons of palm oil.

“We are researching about palm oil, because we believe that in 2045 we can produce around 100 million tons of palm oil. 30 percent will be directed to food and the remaining 70 percent, we can do research and we can make ethanol. So we don’t need to import Fossil oil at the time, “Luhut said in” Indonesia Zero Pathway: Opportunity & Challenges “held at the Indonesian Pavilion, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023, quoted from Antara on Wednesday (1/18/2023).

Luhut explained, the development of alternative fuels was one of the five green economy pillars being intensified by Indonesia. He mentioned the other four pillars, namely the decarbonization of the electricity sector, low carbon transportation, one of which in the form of adoption of electric vehicles, green industries, and carbon sinks which included Carbon Capture and Carbon Offset Market. Luhut said the role of palm oil in the future would be very large. Especially in the acceleration of the achievement of net zero emission 2060 which will be encouraged by the transition of energy from fossil energy to renewable energy.

The Indonesian government is said to be a moratorium on oil palm plantation permits so that the level of productivity can increase from 2.3 tons per hectare to 8 to 10 tons per ha. The increase is the target in the next 10 to 15 years. The moratorium policy itself is also carried out to reduce deforestation due to the expansion of oil palm plantations. As the largest CPO and Biodiesel producer in the world, Indonesia has implemented a mandatory program for the use of CPO -based biodiesel since 2008. The mandatory program is carried out with the aim of reducing the import of fossil fuels, especially diesel fuel, increasing the use of renewable energy and reducing emissions from the use of fossil fuels .

“Indonesia has built collaboration with Malaysia, I think 74 percent will come from these two countries,” concluded Luhut.

January 18, 2023, detikFinance

(https://finance.detik.com/energi/d-6522932/luhut-pede-ri-tidak-impor-bahan-bakar-fosil-2045)

Indonesia’s Economy Speeds Up Again After the Pandemic, Sri Mulyani: 2022 Grows 5.3%

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated that Indonesia’s economy is stepping on the gas again in 2022. According to her, economic recovery will occur very quickly in 2022 after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic raging throughout the country. Indonesia’s economic growth is experiencing acceleration momentum around the third quarter of 2022. He is confident that economic growth for the full year 2022 which will be announced later this month will be at the level of 5.2-5.3%. All economic indicators grew very well, starting from investment flows, increased commodity exports, to imports to support manufacturing industry production.
“Economic growth has recovered supported by strong momentum in the third quarter, fourth quarter will still be 5%, so that total economic growth in 2022 as stated by the President will be at 5.2-5.3%,” said Sri Mulyani in a virtual press statement after held a plenary meeting on the 2023 state budget, Monday (16/1/2023).
Several business sectors that had plummeted during the pandemic are now stepping on the gas for growth. For example, the transportation sector, which had contracted by up to 15%, has now returned to grow by 21%. There is also the accommodation and food and beverage sector which had contracted by up to 10%, now it has grown at the level of 11.3%.
Regionally all islands and regions in Indonesia, according to Sri Mulyani, have experienced rapid economic recovery in 2022. Sumatra grew 4.71%, Kalimantan grew 5.67%, Sulawesi grew 8.24%, Maluku grew 7.51%, Java grew 5.76%, and Bali and Nusa Tenggara 6.69%. It is this kind of thing that boosts the Indonesian economy to grow rapidly. In fact, Sri Mulyani said that Indonesia’s economy had grown bigger than before the pandemic.
“This is why Indonesia’s GDP level is 6.6% above pre-pandemic, above our achievements in 2019. This is a very good achievement,” said Sri Mulyani.

January 16, 2023, detikFinance
(https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-6518414/ekonomi-ri-ngegas-lagi-setelah-pandemi-sri-mulyani-2022-tumbuh-53.)

First in ASEAN, Indonesia Inaugurates Smoke-Free Tobacco Products Factory

PT HM Sampoerna Tbk. (Sampoerna) inaugurated the production facility and first export release of innovative smoke-free tobacco products for IQOS under the HEETS brand in Karawang, West Java. This production facility is part of the company’s investment and economic value creation in Indonesia. The HEETS factory is the first Philip Morris International (PMI) production facility for innovative smoke-free tobacco products in Southeast Asia and the seventh in the world. Investment realization reached more than US$ 186 million or IDR 2.88 trillion (exchange rate IDR 15,500).
“The investment made by Sampoerna is expected to have a positive impact in encouraging innovation and creating economic value in many sectors, including the MSME sector, traditional retail, partnerships with farmers, and R&D development,” said Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto marking the inauguration, Thursday ( 12/1/2023).
The production facility will start operating in the fourth quarter of 2022 and will be under construction since the end of 2021. The HEETS factory is focused on meeting the demand for the export market in Asia Pacific and domestically to encourage investment and increase exports of finished goods.
“As a company that has been operating in Indonesia for almost 110 years, we hope to continue to contribute to the Indonesian economy through sustainable investment and economic impact on the chain and ecosystem of the national tobacco industry as a whole,” said Sampoerna President Director Vassilis Gkatzelis.
Vassilis added, in addition to factory construction, Sampoerna is also committed to creating added economic value which includes increasing research capacity, absorbing high-skilled workers, purchasing local tobacco supplies, empowering MSMEs which includes supporting digitalization and increasing the capacity of traditional retailers, operating digital service centers, and increase in export performance. PMI has invested US$ 9 billion to develop and introduce innovative smoke-free tobacco products.

Indonesia Exports Smoke-Free Tobacco Products to Malaysia-Philippines

Today, 12 January 2023, PT HM Sampoerna Tbk in Karawang, West Java, made its first export to the Asia-Pacific market, one of which is Malaysia and the Philippines. Sampoerna has realized this US$ 186 million investment.
“We appreciate Sampoerna for committing to realize an investment of US$ 166.1 million for this innovative tobacco product. With a capacity of 15.45 billion cigarettes per year, it involves approximately 500 skilled workers supported by research facilities and development investment of US$ 600 thousand,” said Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto.

January 12, 2023, detikFinance
(https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-6512336/pertama-di-asean-ri-resmikan-pabrik-produk-tembakau-bebas-asap)
(https://finance.detik.com/industri/d-6511739/perdana-ri-ekspor-produk-tembakau-bebas-asap-ke-malaysia-filipina)

First Nano Satellite Made in Indonesia Released in Space

The first nano-satellite made in Indonesia, Surya Satellite-1 (SS-1), has successfully launched on schedule in 2022. Earlier this year, the satellite made by the nation’s children was officially released from the International Space Station (ISS). SS-1 was developed by a group of students from Surya University since 2016 with the support and supervision of experts from the BRIN Satellite Technology Research Center. This project also received support from the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo), the Indonesian Radio Amateur Organization, PT Pudak Scientific, PT Pasifik Satelit Nusantara and other stakeholders.
On Friday (6/1/2023), SS-1 was successfully released from the ISS into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) JSSOD deployer module. The release of SS-1 was broadcast on the YouTube channel of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and JAXA, so the general public also witnessed the seconds of SS-1’s launch from the ISS to LEO. To note, the release of SS-1 into orbit allows the satellite to operate at an altitude of 400-420 km above the Earth’s surface, with an inclination angle of 51.7 degrees.
BRIN said the launch of the first nano-satellite in Indonesia was the starting point which showed that young scientists and the nation’s children had succeeded in making a big history in achieving the national space industry.This is because the launching of nano satellites is relatively new in Indonesia, because the majority of which are currently operating and using micro satellites. SS-1 is a nano satellite or cubesat measuring 10 x 10 x 11.35 cm and weighing 1 to 1.3 kg, smaller than a micro satellite or tubesat which usually weighs 50-70 kg.
The flight of SS-1 in November 2022 to the ISS is good news for the Indonesian people, because the launch was delayed for several days due to unfavorable weather factors. The SS-1 mission is an Automatic Packet Reporting System which functions as a communication medium via satellite in short text form. This technology can be developed for disaster mitigation, remote monitoring, and emergency communications.

January 6, 2023, detikInet
(https://inet.detik.com/science/d-6501838/sukses-satelit-nano-pertama-buatan-indonesia-dilepas-di-antariksa)
(https://www.detik.com/edu/edutainment/d-6502560/satelit-nano-pertama-indonesia-lepas-landas-karya-mahasiswa-ri-lho)

Jokowi Inaugurates 30 KM Pekanbaru-Bangkinang Toll Road Spends IDR 4.8 Trillion

President Joko Widodo inaugurated the 30.9 kilometer Pekanbaru-Bangkinang toll road. This toll road is part of the Pekanbaru-Padang Trans Sumatra Toll Road network. Jokowi explained that this toll road would spend a budget of up to IDR 4.8 trillion. Starting today, the toll road can be tested in full, having previously opened it functionally during the Christmas and New Year holiday season.
“From Pekanbaru to Bangkinang, we will also inaugurate 30.9 kilometers which cost a budget of IDR 4.8 trillion today. Then, later it will be connected to the Pekanbaru circle, so that Dumai Pekanbaru Bangkinang will be connected.” Jokowi said during the inauguration at the Bangkinang Toll Gate which was broadcast virtually, Wednesday (4/1/2023).
According to him, this toll road will have quite large traffic. Previous experience is that there is already a Pekanbaru-Dumai toll road with quite high traffic, more than 8,000 vehicles per day. So when will this toll road be connected from Pekanbaru to Padang? Jokowi said it seemed that it would still take a long time. “Continue towards Padang, when will it finish? I can’t talk. Because it’s still long,” said Jokowi.
Jokowi hopes that with the Pekanbaru-Bangkinang toll road, the speed of mobility of people, goods and services will improve, thereby increasing the competitiveness of existing products in Riau province. He also hopes that this toll road will be able to grow new economic centers and ultimately open jobs and provide welfare to the community.

January 4, 2023, detikFinance
(https://finance.detik.com/infrastruktur/d-6498277/jokowi-resmikan-tol-pekanbaru-bangkinang-30-km-habiskan-rp-48-t)

2.2 Million People Traveling in Bali Throughout 2022

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno said the number of tourists vacationing in Bali throughout 2022 would reach 2.2 million people. This number exceeded the target set by the government of 1.5 million people.
“Achieved with 2.2 million. Amazingly, the target for tourism and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has been significantly exceeded,” Sandiaga said after welcoming the arrival of the first tourists at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Sunday (01/01/2023).
Sandiaga revealed that Indonesia is targeting to bring in as many as 7.4 million tourists in 2023. The target for Bali this year is 4 million tourists. Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of Bali Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardana Sukawati revealed that the target of 4 million tourists set by the central government for Bali was a challenge in itself. The man who is familiarly called Cok Ace said he was optimistic that he could bring in more tourists in 2023.
“In the future, in 2023, by opening several new destinations, we hope that what is targeted by the center of 4 million can be achieved, that is the resolution. We encourage the distribution of more tourists in South Bali so they can spread to East Bali, North Bali,” Cok Ace told reporters at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport, Sunday (1/1/2023) early morning .
Cok Ace added, the next challenge for Bali tourism at the moment is the uneven distribution of tourists or still piling up in southern Bali. He admitted that he felt helped by the enthusiasm of domestic tourists visiting Bali during the year-end holidays. Moreover, they use private vehicles and stop at several tourist sites in the North Bali area.

January 1, 2023, detikTravel
(https://travel.detik.com/travel-news/d-6492643/mantap-22-juta-orang-berwisata-di-bali-sepanjang-2022)

Reigning Tycoon: Coal Money Brings Low Tuck Kwong as Indonesia’s New Richest Person

Indonesia coal-tycoon Low Tuck Kwong has emerged as the country’s richest individual, coinciding with a boom in his business amid the surge of commodity prices, partly due to geopolitical conflict, energy crisis and supply disruption in many parts of the globe. Low Tuck Kwong has a net worth of US$31 billion as of Dec. 27, according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires rankings, which tracks the daily ups and downs of the world’s richest people.

The same data also show that Low now tops the billionaires ranking, overthrowing R. Budi Hartono and Michael Budi Hartono, who hold $22.4 billion and $21.5 billion in net worth respectively. For many years, each of the Hartono brothers topped the list with their combined tobacco and banking businesses. Low is a controlling shareholders of Indonesia’s third-largest coal miner PT Bayan Resources, also known by the stock ticker of BYAN, with ownership of more than 60 percent of the company’s shares.

According to the company’s profile, BYAN has 12 direct subsidiaries that are engaged in the coal mining and tire industries. In the third quarter this year alone, it booked a IDR 24.8 trillion (US$1.55 billion) of net profit, which saw almost a twofold increase from the same period last year. Low’s wealth is said to have increased significantly partly due to a jump in BYAN share price in the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) that surged by more than sevenfold as of Dec. 27 year-to-date to IDR 22,500 apiece. This December, BYAN saw its market capitalization amount to IDR 745 trillion, becoming the second-largest publicly listed company by market cap, exceeding state-owned lender BRI that previously held the position. In December last year, BYAN’s market cap was only IDR 90 trillion.

Analysts have attributed the significant increase of the share price to soaring coal prices with the commodity in high demand among countries in the northern hemisphere, which were experiencing winter season and facing energy shortages such as natural gas due to war in Ukraine. Furthermore, BYAN’s stock split with 1:10 ratio was said to propel its share price even further.

However, M. Nafan Aji Gusta, from senior investment information at Mirae Asset Securities Indonesia, told Kontan on Sunday that BYAN’s share price would be closely related to the movement of coal price, which might be susceptible to a potential downward trend in commodity price. Next year, Nafan said that the coal price might decline as the world faces recession, while the current high-price trend would likely only stay as long as the winter.

December 27, 2022, The Jakarta Post

(https://www.thejakartapost.com/business/2022/12/27/reigning-tycoon-coal-money-brings-low-tuck-kwong-as-ris-new-richest-person.html)

Indonesia-Vietnam Agreed to Set a New Trade Target of IDR 232 Trillion

President Joko Widodo has just received a visit from Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc.  The meeting discussed various efforts to increase strategic partnership cooperation both bilaterally and regionally.  Jokowi said that during the meeting the two countries agreed to set a new trade target of US$ 15 billion or around IDR 232.5 trillion (assuming an exchange rate of IDR 15,500). Jokowi explained that the trade target between Indonesia and Vietnam in 2023 was US$ 10 billion. This target was achieved in 2021 with a trade value of US$ 11.06 billion.

“For this reason, we agreed to set a new bilateral trade target of US$ 15 billion in 2028,” Jokowi said as quoted from the Presidential Secretariat Youtube, Thursday (22/12/2022).

On this occasion, Jokowi also asked the Vietnamese government to pay attention to the obstacles to agricultural and fruit products entering the Vietnamese market. “Indonesia requests attention to the delays in Indonesian agricultural and fruit products entering the Vietnamese market,” he said.

Furthermore, Jokowi said, the need for protection of Indonesian investment in Vietnam. He appreciated the Vietnamese government’s trust in Indonesian companies investing in Vietnam.  Jokowi said Indonesia’s total investment in Vietnam was more than US$ 600 million in 101 projects.

“I hope the resolution of several issues experienced by Indonesian investors will encourage new investments in the future,” he said.

December 22, 2022, detikFinance

(https://finance.detik.com/berita-ekonomi-bisnis/d-6475089/ri-vietnam-sepakat-tetapkan-target-baru-perdagangan-rp-232-t)