Melynda Dwi Puspita, Riri Rahayu, Oyuk Ivani Siagian, Jakarta – Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo denied that his government has reinstated sea sand exports. He clarified that the current exports involve sedimentation.

"Once again, it's not sea sand. The permits issued are for sedimentation exports," he stated during a press conference following the inauguration of the Islamic Financial Center Area at Danareksa Tower, Jakarta, on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

He differentiated between sea sedimentation and sea sand, describing sedimentation as material that obstructs shipping lanes. "Sediment is different [from sea sand], although both are sand," he explained.

Sea sand exports have been prohibited for two decades. However, the government has reintroduced them through Government Regulation (PP) Number 26 of 2023, concerning the Management of Sedimentation Results at Sea. This decision followed a proposal from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) and amendments to two Trade Ministerial Regulations (Permendag) related to the export sector.

The revised regulations are outlined in the Trade Ministerial Regulation Number 20 of 2024 on the second amendment to Regulation Number 22 of 2023 regarding Prohibited Export Goods, and Regulation Number 21 of 2024 on the second amendment to Regulation Number 23 of 2023 concerning Export Policy and Regulation.

According to Article 1 paragraph (1) of Government Regulation Number 26 of 2023, marine sedimentation results are sediments in the sea, formed from natural materials due to weathering, erosion, and oceanographic dynamics or marine activities. These sediments can be removed to prevent disruptions to the shipping ecosystem.

Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1917607/jokowi-denies-reopening-sea-sand-exports-claims-sea-sediment-export