State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno: (Kompas)

State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno has called on state-owned shipping firm Pelni and state-owned ferry operator PT ASDP Indonesia Ferry to immediately start their oil-to-gas energy conversion programs.

'€œStarting January 2016, I want there to be Pelni and ASDP ships ready to use BBG[compressed natural gas],'€ Rini said as quoted by Antara. She was speaking on the sidelines of the signing of a partnership agreement on the use of natural gas for sea transportation between Pelni, ASDP and publicly listed gas distributor Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) at the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry office in Jakarta on Thursday.

Under the partnership, PGN is ready to supply BBG to both state-owned enterprises as part of an initiative to expand the use of natural gas in Indonesia.

The use of oil in state-owned sea transportation, Rini said, accounted for around 58 percent of total operational costs.

'€œIf all [oil] can be converted into liquefied petroleum gas [LPG], operational costs would drop significantly. Moreover, it has been agreed that PGN will sell its gas 40 percent. This will be very helpful for Pelni and ASDP,'€ he said.

Rini added that as well as making efficiency savings, the conversion program would also help the government reduce oil imports and air pollution.

The minister further said that the synergy between PGN, Pelni and ASDP would act as a pioneer program to reduce oil imports.

(edn/ebf)(++++)

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