Indonesia scraps two-decade ban on sea sand exports

JAKARTA – Indonesia has lifted a ban on sea sand exports that was in place for 20 years, a move that will bring in revenue for the archipelago but which has also sparked concerns among environmentalists.

The regulation was signed by President Joko Widodo on May 15 and took effect that day. It allows mining permit holders to collect and export sea sand, provided domestic needs have been met.

The archipelago first disallowed sea sand exports in 2003, and reaffirmed the ban in 2007, in a move against illegal shipments. It cited environmental concerns, as well as a need to protect its borders as reasons for the ban.

Miners as well as officials in Indonesia have welcomed the latest decision. Mr Wahyu Muryadi, a special staff member at the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, told online news outlet Tirto.id on Monday that the change in policy would bring benefits to the country in the form of revenue.

But environmentalists have warned that the move will lead to an increase in sand extraction, which will be harmful to coastal dwellers who rely on ocean ecosystems.

Former maritime affairs and fisheries minister Susi Pudjiastuti wrote on Twitter that the government should revoke the policy as it would exacerbate the environmental harm of climate change.

“Hope this decision will be overturned. Environmental losses will be much greater. Climate change has already been felt and has an impact. Let it not be exacerbated by sea sand mining,” said Ms Susi, who was in office from 2014 to 2019.

Mr Wahyu has defended the policy, and was quoted in local reports as saying that the regulation would ensure that the extraction of sand and other ocean sediments would be done with tools that are safe for the environment.

Before the ban in 2003, Indonesia was Singapore’s major supplier of sea sand for land reclamation.

According to United Nations Comtrade data, Indonesia’s export figures show that in the five years before 2002, it shipped at least 150 million tonnes of sea sand to Singapore. 

The database has been compiling detailed import and export statistics in goods and services reported by statistical authorities of about 200 countries or areas since 1962.

A separate 2019 report by the UN said that Singapore was the world’s largest sea sand importer, and that in the preceding 20 years, it had shipped in 517 million tonnes of sand from its neighbours.

The Republic has been importing sand from other countries like Vietnam and Cambodia.

The Straits Times has reached out to Singapore’s Ministry of National Development for comments on Indonesia lifting the sea sand export ban.