Indonesia reopens sea sand exports after 20 years of ban

JAKARTA, May 29 (Xinhua) -- After 20 years of ban, Indonesia has now issued a regulation that reopens the export of marine sediment in the form of sea sand, local media reported on Monday.

The regulation about sea sand export is stipulated under the Government Regulation about Management of Marine Sedimentation Products, which briefly states that sea sand can be used for domestic reclamation, infrastructure development for government businesses, infrastructure development by actors, and exports.

According to local media, the regulation was signed by Indonesian President Joko Widodo on May 15 and took effect immediately. The new regulation has automatically replaced the previous regulation issued in 2003 that banned sea sand exports over concerns about illegal fishing.

To obtain export permits for sea sand, exporters must submit a permit request along with a proposal detailing their work plans, work partners, and the exact location or coordinate points of the water area they want to utilize.

Before the ban, Singapore was Indonesia's biggest market for sea sand export, with the latter selling around 250 million cubic meters per year to the neighboring country.