Local fishermen have agreed to refrain from blocking the loading and unloading of coal at

the Indonesian port of Muara Berau at Samarinda in East Kalimantan. This is according to 

minutes seen by S&P Global Platts of a meeting earlier this week with coal shippers to end 

protests over water quality in the port area, which was said to be affecting fishing. Market 

sources welcomed the news that the protests had been suspended until further notice. 

According to the minutes, the shippers said they are complying with Ministry of Transportati

on  regulations  on  ship  loading  and  on preventing maritime pollution, and they have not 

agreed to provide any compensation to the fishermen. 

"No unlawful acts were carried out by members of the Association of Indonesian Loading and 

Unloading Companies (APBMI), the Indonesian National Shipowners' Association (INSA), and 

the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI-ICMA)," the minutes said. 

However, the parties reached a consensus on creating a working group to address the issue 

of corporate social responsibility, with a particular focus on the fishermen's livelihoods and 

environmental concerns. Each association is to appoint one to two representatives to this 

committee. 

Apart from the APBMI, INSA, and APBI, the meeting, chaired by Samarinda's Chief Harbor 

Master R. Totok, was also attended by representatives of the floating crane owners, the 

Fishermen's Association, and the police among others. 

The committee agreed to meet again on Monday.