Indonesia miners seek solution as coal export ban rattles sector

This file photo taken on September 22, 2021 shows coal being unloaded from a barge at the Suralaya coal power plant in Cilegon. Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of coal used in electricity generation, on January 1, 2022 said it has banned exports of the fuel for January in a move aimed at ensuring domestic power supply. - AFP

JAKARTA/CHENNAI, Jan 3 (Reuters): Indonesian coal miners want a quick resolution to a government coal export ban that has caused fuel prices to rise and could disrupt the energy supplies of some of the world's biggest economies.

The world's leading exporter of thermal coal on Saturday banned the shipments because of concerns it could not meet its own power demand, prompting President Joko Widodo on Monday to threaten to revoke business permits for any miners who failed to meet domestic market requirements.