Low river levels have halted coal barging operations on the northern stretch of Indonesia's Barito River in central Kalimantan, disrupting coal supply chains and prompting some miners to declare force majeure, according to market participants.
A major coal producer said it has been asked to replace affected volumes to Indonesian domestic utility PLN, as some mining firms affected by the disruption have declared force majeure. The Barito River is a key barging route from the region to major coal terminals in south Kalimantan.
Argus has reached out to shipping and logistics providers and could not immediately confirm the extent of the disruption. Central Kalimantan accounts for an estimated 30mn t of coal exports in 2025, including both thermal and metallurgical coal, market participants said. This is about 6pc of overall export volumes out of Indonesia which totalled 524mn t in 2025, according to customs data.
Barging activity along the Barito River in south Kalimantan remains unaffected, according to two key coal producers operating in the region. South Kalimantan is also facing a dry spell. Indonesia's meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency has issued an alert to be cautious of droughts in the southern region.
