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The Levingston family has been involved with the shipbuilding industry since the 1850s in the United States. Samuel L. Levingston was born in 1832 and moved to the United States from Ireland in 1846. While in Florida, his first job was a ship carpenter. In 1852, he married Asenatha Moore. In the late 1850s, the Levingston family moved to the area near what is now the city of Orange, Texas and established a shipyard on the Sabine River. Samuel Levingston served the Confederate forces during the Civil War as a ship carpenter and a blockade runner.

After the war, he returned to Orange and began another shipyard, building paddle wheel boats for hauling cotton and farm products on the Sabine River between Orange and Logansport, Louisiana. Upon his retirement, his son, "Captain George" Levingston took over the business and developed it into the Levingston Shipbuilding Company. The shipyard continued to build vessels of all types for both the commercial market and the government. When the offshore oil and gas market developed in the 1950s, Levingston was in the forefront, developing and building many of the early designs. Levingston was the only United States builder of all types of offshore drilling rigs. With the growth of the offshore rig building business, Levingston Shipbuilding Company established Far East Levingston Shipbuilding ("FELS"). FELS has grown into what today is Keppel FELS, a world recognized shipbuilder.

As we focus on the future, we are founded on our experiences and the principles on which we believe and understand - shipbuilding. Over the decades of shipbuilding by the Levingston family, we are concentrated on the offshore oil and gas industry. Specifically, our attention is on the larger, classed Liftboat market with enhanced capabilities. We have assembled a world-class team of designers, engineers, builders and operators to bring the world offshore oil and gas industry the latest in our self-elevating, self-propelled, multi-purpose vessels.

Our alliance partners are the leaders in the liftboat industry. Simply, no other company has more experience in the design, building and operations of liftboats than Levingston and their alliance partners.

Decades of experience in the liftboat industry have honed our skills in centering on those variables that produce a highly versatile, efficient vessel. Our vessel designs use proven, time-tested jacking systems and cranes - integral components of the liftboat. We emphasize those features that we believe based on our experience contribute to the overall operational efficiency of the vessels, i.e., increased deck area and deck load capacity, enhanced maneuverability, larger personnel quarters capacity, and increased leg lengths.

We have essentially two approaches to liftboat design. It is our belief that the future of liftboat design, building and operations will center on enhanced capabilities. From the early days of liftboats in the 1950s to the present, liftboat capabilities and capacities have increased significantly. The first approach to liftboat design revolves around traditional liftboat services with capacities for essentially everything except drilling and work-over services. The second approach focuses on making the liftboat an even more versatile offshore service vessel by adding the capacity to drilling and work-over. This second approach, we refer to as our Enhanced Class (or "E" Class). Although, there are certain job specific applications that the first, traditional design is sufficient, we believe that the future is in E Class liftboats. This will provide a highly versatile, efficient vessel.

"Levingston and Their Alliance Partners"
Levingston and their alliance partners form a team of the most experienced designers, builders, and operators in the liftboat industry. Our combined backgrounds and experience is unsurpassed in the offshore liftboat industry. Although, we are founded on experiences in the United States Gulf of Mexico, our focus is international. We simply want to bring our liftboats to the world offshore markets.

Historic Ship To Transport Bontang Gas

PT Badak NGL Bontang of East Kalimantan will transport liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Jakarta using a 35 year old LNG tanker named Aquarius. “The same tank transported LNG to Osaka, Japan in 1977,” said President Director of PT Badak NGL Sutopo on Wednesday, April 25, 2012.

He said that Aquarius was used for the first export of LNG in August 1, 1977. Now it will be used for domestic shipping of LNG to Jakarta Bay. PT Badak NGL began shipping abroad with 2 trains of LNG around the end of 70s. In the early 90s till now, Sutopo said, Pertamina's subsidiary company has an annual capacity of 22,5 million ton. “We have achieved 8,085 shipments as of April 21, 2012,” Sutopo said. All of these shipments were destined to buyer countries.

This time LNG will be sent to Jakarta Bay for a floating terminal project a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU). LNG Bontang has supplied 11.75 million metric tons LNG to West Java FSRU in the past 11 years. The new FSRU will be operated by PT Nusantara Regas.

The FSRU project in Jakarta Bay is to support government program to diversify energy to manage future energy challenges. With FSRU, Nusantara Regas can also explore other business potentials to make optimal use of the facility.

Illegal Fuel Offered to Industrial Companies

In the past week, fuel accumulation continues in Kalimantan. Police seized 15,300 liters of diesel fuel sent for sale to industrial companies on Wednesdsay.

According to Head of Public Relations Division of West Kalimantan Police, Adj. Comm. Mukson Munandar, the coming fuel price rise in early April 1 was being benefited by many to gain profit by accumulating fuel.

“Around 7,300 liters of illegal fuel were seized from a spot. The perpetrators admitted that the fuel will be sold to industrial companies. 8,000 illegal diesel were also seized from an unregistered fuel tank,” said Mukson.

Police arrested a suspect with the initials of IK, 27, and a driver who transported the illegal fuel with the initials of BR, 45. The evidence in the form of illegal fuel is kept in Sambas Police Headquarter and West Kalimantan Police Headquarter.

A day earlier, Police also confiscated 8,600 illegal fuel. 500 liters and 400 liters of diesel fuel were taken over from a tank that the owner had bought from one of the gas station in Sungai Raya Dalam, Pontianak.

Meanwhile, 7,700 liters of petrol were seized from a ship on the waters of Kapuas River, Teluk Barak Village, Kedamin Hilir Village, Putussibau Selatan District, Kapuas Hulu Regency.

Fuel accumulation in West Kalimantan has been common within the past month. Data from the West Kalimantan Regional Police showed that from January to early March 2012, 22 fuel cases of fuel accumulation have been exposed.

Govt Should Set Minimum CNG Price Disparity

“Countries that have implemented CNG best set [the disparity] at around 60 percent.”
CNG Association of Indonesia said the Indonesian government should set the minimum price disparity between compressed natural gas (CNG) and premium at 60 percent.

“Countries that have implemented CNG best set [the disparity] at around 60 percent,” said Secretary General of CNG Association of Indonesia, Danny Praditya, on Thursday, March 1.

He said 30 CNG private companies in Indonesia are now in operation. Nonetheless, prices and infrastructure have been the problems in developing CNG in the nation.

“The government must really make calculation on the economic price of CNG,” he explained.

If the price of premium fuel is raised to Rp6,000 per liter, it is not going to reach the 60 percent disparity with the CNG’s price. However, the effort could be the first step toward CNG conversion.

He cited the use of CNG in Thailand, that was developed within 5 years. Around 250 thousand vehicles are now using CNG and the country is equipped with 500 CNG stations with a variety of incentives and monitoring.

Astra International Splits Shares

Publicly listed diversified group PT Astra International Tbk (ASII) is planning to split the nominal value of its shares under a 1:10 ratio.

The proposal for stock split would be brought to an extraordinary meeting of the company’s shareholders in April or May for approval, Astra International Corporate Secretary Gita Tiffany Boer said during a public expose here on Tuesday. By splitting the shares, retail investors could afford to buy them and the company could increase the liquidity of its shares in the stock exchange, he said.

Last year, Astra International posted a net profit of Rp17.8 trillion, up 24 percent from Rp14.4 trillion the year before. The company plans to set aside part of its profit last year to pay a dividend of Rp1,380 per share.

PT Astra International currently controls 53.8 percent of the country’s automobile market. In the January-November 2011 period Astra International sold 438,111 units, more than a half of domestic car sales which reached 813,856 units, making it the country’s biggest retailer.

Ajinomoto to Build 2nd Seasonings Plant in Indonesia

Japanese food group Ajinomoto Co President and Chief Executive Officer Masatoshi Ito smiles as he holds the companys leading product, "Ajinomoto Monosodium Glutamate Seasoning" at his office in Tokyo December 2, 2010. Masatoshi Ito climbed the corporate ladder at Japans leading condiment maker, Ajinomoto Co, as much in his kitchen as in meeting rooms or in board room jousts.

Ajinomoto Co. plans to increase its output capacity for flavored seasonings in Indonesia by 50% by constructing its second factory there in autumn 2012 at a total cost of about Y4 billion, the Nikkei reported over the weekend.
The company plans to break ground this month on a roughly 170,000 sq. meter plot that it acquired on the outskirts of Jakarta. The plant to be built there will make seasonings that suit local tastes using chicken and beef extracts, with the products to be exported to the Middle East and Africa as well.
The new factory is expected to have the capacity to produce tens of thousands of tons a year. To make flavored seasonings, Ajinomoto adds such flavors as meat and fish extracts to its namesake monosodium glutamate seasoning.
Recently, Indonesian sales of flavored seasonings for soups and stir-fried dishes have been growing about 15% a year, outpacing the growth rate of several% a year for the basic Ajinomoto product. The Japanese firm is No. 1 in Indonesia, with a lead on Anglo-Dutch firm Unilever and local companies.

Impact of Indonesia's Regulatory Haul on Mining Industry

An aerial view shows the site of the Grassberg Mine, operated by the U.S.-based Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold in Indonesias Papua province November 4, 2010. Freeport, which operates mines in North and South America, Africa and Indonesia, said third-quarter net earning were 1.2 billion, or 2.49 per share, up from 925 million, or 2.07 per share, a year earlier. Analysts, on avarage, were expecting 2.25 per share, according to Thomson Reuters. Picture taken November 4, 2010.

Indonesia's mining industry is undergoing a regulatory overhaul that is likely to weaken the operating and financial performance of mining companies in the country, said Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today in a report.
The report, titled “Indonesia's Mining Law Of 2009 And Subsequent Regulations: Unearthing The Impact,“ offers an assessment on how the main provisions of the law and regulations are likely to affect the companies in the Indonesian mining sector--both locally and foreign owned.
“Although the mining law in 2009 only provides a broad framework, government regulations from later that year and 2010 provided greater clarity on both the spirit of the law and the possible credit impact for mining companies with Indonesian operations,“ said Standard & Poor's credit analyst Xavier Jean.
“Standard & Poor's does not anticipate immediate rating implications for the mining companies in Indonesia, since our ratings on them already incorporate varying degrees of regulatory risk,“ Mr. Jean noted.
Nevertheless, we believe specific regulations will affect some mining companies more than others and may have implications for domestic and foreign investments in the Indonesian mining industry.
“Some regulatory provisions have direct implications for the revenues, profitability, capital expenditure, and cash flows of mining companies in Indonesia,“ Mr. Jean said. “Besides increasing operating uncertainty for Indonesian mining companies, we believe the new regulations may also make the industry less attractive to foreign investors.“
Increases in operating costs, possible delays in awarding mining licenses due to the decentralized decision making, and domestic processing requirements may change the economics of long-term mining projects.
However, it is too early to quantify the impact of the new regulations on the credit profile of mining companies in Indonesia as the implementation of the mining law continues.
“The regulatory environment is still evolving, and the implementation of government regulations passed so far may differ somewhat from their original forms,“ Mr. Jean said.

Indonesia's Govt and House to Discuss Fuel Oil Prices

Vehicles are stuck in a traffic jam on a toll road during peak hour in Jakarta July 16, 2010. Indonesias strong domestic demands has pushed record sales of cars, giving a boost in revenue for vehicle manufacturers and toll road operators.

The government and the House of Representatives (DPR) are scheduled to discuss the option of raising subsidized premium gasoline and diesel oil at the end of May amid rising global oil prices.
Director General of Oil and Gas at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Evita Legowo said on Monday the government kept monitoring global oil prices once every two days.
"However, we have yet to come to the option of raising fuel oils," she said.
Many quarters have asked the government to consider a proposal to raise the prices of subsidized fuel oils after global oil prices were hovering above US$100 a barrel.
Satya W Yudha of the House Commission VII urged the government to raise the prices of subsidized premium gasoline and diesel oil by Rp500 a liter. The increase in the prices of fuel oils would help the government reduce a budget deficit as a result of soaring global oil prices, Satya W Yudha of the Golkar Party faction in the House of Representatives said.
"Any increase in ICP (Indonesian Crude Price) of US$1 a barrel will raise the budget deficit by Rp500 billion. This will put pressure on the state budget," he said.
Evita said the ICP between May 2010 and April 2011 averaged US$90 a barrel. "But it fell sharply in the past few days," she said.
She said her side had internally been discussing a change in ICP in the revised 2011 state budget. Under the State budget Law of 2011, the government is allowed to raise the prices of subsidized fuels if the average ICP in the past one year is 10 percent higher than the assumed oil price of US$80 a barrel.
According to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, ICP averaged US$89.52 a barrel in the May 2010-April 2011 period. ICP reached US$77.02 a barrel in May, US$75.27 in June, US$73.75 in July, US$75.97 in August, US$76.76 in September, and US$82.26 in October, US$85.07 in November and US$91.37 in December last year. It rose to US$97.09 in January, US$103.31 in February, US$113.07 in March and US$123.36 in April this year.

Indonesia's Furniture Imports from China Up More than 50 Pct

Chinese furniture and handicraft goods are flooding the domestic market, the Indonesian Furniture and Handicraft Producers Association (ASMINDO) said noting the import of the commodities from China has increased more than 50 percent.
"The increase in the import of Chinese (furniture and handicraft) goods has reached more than 50 percent," ASMINDO Chief Ambar Tjahyono said on Thursday.
The figure was based on the results of a study made at the end of 2010, he said adding the import of Chinese furniture and handicraft goods was expected to further increase this year. According to him, Chinese furniture and handicraft goods represented around one-third of the domestic market which reached US%900 million.
An unusual surge in the flow of Chinese goods into the domestic market has sparked protest from many circles with some of them calling on the government to review the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA) implemented since early last year. In response, the government will install an early warning system at the country’s main customs offices to detect the influx of Chinese goods into the domestic market.
Earlier, Trade Minister Mari Elka Pangestu said Indonesia’s imports from China were mainly dominated by raw materials needed by the domestic industries.  Two- way trade between Indonesia and China reached US$36.11 billion last year, with Indonesia recording a deficit of US$4.73 billion.
In the first two months of 2011, Indonesia’s non-oil/gas trade deficit with China was recorded at US$0.98 billion, up US$0.19 billion compared with the same period last year.

Caterpillars Roam over Wide Areas in Indonesia

Thickly hairy caterpillars which were found in many places in Probolinggo regency, East Java, have also attacked trees of Buleleng regency, Bali.
Head of the Buleleng agricultural and cattle breeding farms Putu Mertha Jiwa said here Sunday most of the caterpillars attacked manggo trees in Sawan and Gerokgak sub-districts. The black caterpillars were also found on the walls of houses.
"Their hair will cause intense itching of the skin," he said.
He said he planned to localize the areas where the caterpillars were found, and sprayed with strong pesticides in the last four days. Besides spraying, some people also conducted some special rituals to stop the nuisance.

N Sumatra's Iron Imports Up 30 Pct

This photo taken on December 25, 2010 shows Indonesian miners filling baskets with sulphur before carrying them from the bottom of the crater of Indonesias active Kajah Iwen volcano, in the extreme east of Java island. Some 350 sulphur miners eke out a dangerous and exhausting living on the active volcano, carrying hauls of up to 80 kilos of yellow gold which will be bought by local factories and used to refine sugar or make matches and medicines. The miners extract the liquid sulphur as it flows out of hot iron pipes. Once in the open air, it cools, crystallises and turns bright yellow. The sulphur is then loaded into wicker baskets at either end of bamboo yokes and carried back over the lip of the crater and down the side of the volcano, a treacherous journey of four kilometres (2.5 miles).

North Sumatra’s iron and steel imports in the year to February 2011 rose 30.32 percent to US$32.41 million from the same period a year earlier.
"Since the past few years, North Sumatra’s iron and steel imports have continued to increase on the back of rising needs due to construction of infrastructure facilities as well as robust property business in the region concerned," Head of the Production Statistics Section of the North Sumatra Provincial Statistics Office Erwin Said said here on Sunday.
In the year to February 2011, the province’s iron and steel imports were recorded at US$32.41 million compared with US$24.871 million the year before, he said.
According to him, the higher import value was fueled not only by raising volume but also by a surge in prices. An upward trend in the import of iron and steel could be seen from last year when the figure was recorded at US$15.094 million in January and US$17.318 million in February.
"Based on data, the iron and steel imports were mostly from China. We imported the goods because domestic production fell short of rising demand in North Sumatra," he said.
Head of the Domestic Trade Section at the North Sumatra Provincial Industry and Trade Office Margaretha Elly Silalahi said the imported iron and steel entering North Sumatra must meet the Indonesian National Standard (SNI).

TNI-AU to Acquire T50 Golden Eagle Planes

T50 Golden Eagle

The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) will acquire South Korean-made T50 Golden Eagle training planes next year, a top military officer said here Saturday.
Speaking to newsmen after attending the 65th commemoration of the TNI-AU Anniversary here, Air Chief Marshal Imam Sufaat said there would be a squadron or 16 units of T50 Golden Eagle aircraft.
The procurement of the new training airplanes was part of the Indonesian Air Force’s efforts to meet its minimum essential force by 2024, he said.
"The president’s policy is accelerating the needs of military equipments, especially changing the airplanes whose ages are above 30 years old," he said.
These T50 Golden Eagle planes would replace the British Hawk 53 MKs. Besides those new training airplanes, the TNI-AU would also buy Super Tucano planes to replace those of OV-10 Broncos.
The Defense Ministry had even allocated budgets for purchasing these Super Tucano planes, he said. Asked about the total amount of budget allocated for buying a squadron of T50 Golden Eagle, he said the government had to allocate 400 million US dollars.
"These training planes are expected to have been received by 2012," he said. According to him, the T50 Golden Eagles were so fit for training the pilots of Sukhoi warplanes.

PLN NOT Attracted to Nuclear Energy

Indonesian workers repair an electricity installation in Jakarta on July 7, 2010. The organization of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia, have agreed since 1997 to cooperate in developing 11 cross-border transmission points allowing them to exchange power. The networks are expected to be online by 2015 a report said.

Indonesia’s State Electricity Company (PLN) was not interested in developing a nuclear power plant because it was not efficient, the company’s CEO said.
At the same time, Indonesia was rich in other alternative energy sources though they were not yet used optimally, PLN President Director Dahlan Iskan said here Wednesday.
"For now, we are not interested in using nuclear energy as there are many other energy sources which are cheaper," he said. According to him, it needed six years to build a nuclear power plant while the electricity costs Rp1,700.00 per kWh.
"We still have plenty of energy sources such as coal, water, geothermal, and natural gas," he said at a coordinative meeting with directors and officials of the State Enterprises Ministry and local authorities.
Those alternative energy sources were abundant in Indonesia, while other countries, such as Japan and South Korea, had different condition, Dahlan said adding that it was why the two countries offered nuclear energy development to Indonesia.
"I would agree if a nuclear plant were to be built here as long as there were no more energy sources that could be used," Dahlan said.
Dahlan then compared the cost of electricity generated by nuclear energy and other energy sources. Meanwhile, it needed around five years to build a geothermal power plant and two years for natural gas power plant which both set a value of Rp900,00 per kWh for electricity.
According to a Second Assistance of Regional Secretary Office of East Java administration, Hadi Prasetyo, there were 11 spots of geothermal sources in East Java region. Two of them had been bidden. On the occasion, he also offered geothermal source to PLN.

US Hopes to Double Agricultural Exports to Indonesia

An aerial view of the Tanjung Priok container terminal in Jakarta August 12, 2010. Indonesias state port firm will start building a new container terminal in Jakarta this year to cope with overflowing volumes at the main shipment hub in Indonesias capital as trade grows.

The United States has hoped to double its exports of farm products to Indonesia making it the ninth-largest market, US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel said at the Indonesia Expo 2011 here Wednesday.
"Indonesia’s market-based economy is growing well and thus makes me hope that the farm product exports from my country can be maximized," Scot said.
He also said that the partnership between the US and Indonesia in raising the export of farm products was one of the points discussed by President Barack Obama and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in the state visit of the US President to Indonesia last November.
Meanwhile, Michael Scuse, the USDA Acting Under Secretary, said that Indonesia would continue as an important US trade partner due to the fastest growing economy of Indonesia.
"In the past 15 years, agricultural trade between our countries has boomed, and Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia’s fastest growing economies with a vibrant business climate and upwardly mobile, expanding middle class, providing opportunities to expand exports of US food and agricultural goods and stimulate investment," Scuse said.
Through the comprehensive partnership between the US and Indonesia, Scuse said both countries were looking forward to expanding trade, investment and commercial relationships as well as creating great chances for the economy.
Food and Hotel Indonesia Expo 2011 was held for four days until Saturday and participated in by more than 1,000 companies from 29 countries, including Germany, the US, Turkey, Singapore, Korea, Brunei Darussalam, besides Indonesia.
In the opening remarks of the Indonesian Minister of Culture and Tourism which was conveyed by General Director of Tourism Destination Development Firmansyah, he said that the expo was a kind of effort in increasing the number of tourists to Indonesia which was scheduled to reach 7.7 million in 2011.
"If the target is achieved, we will try to increase the number of foreign tourists to Indonesia to 10 million by 2014. Therefore, food service companies and hotels play an important role in meeting the target," Jero said.

Apple's iPad 2 Hits Overseas Stores after U.S. Sellout

An employee (R) looks at customers stand in line outside Apples flagship 5th Avenue store to purchase iPad 2 tablets in New York, March 16, 2011.

Hundreds of customers lined up outside Apple stores in Australia and New Zealand on Friday for the international launch of the iPad 2, which has flown off the shelves in the United States leaving the company struggling to meet demand.
Analysts forecast some 1 million devices may have been sold in the first weekend of the launch in the United States, but many warn that it’s not clear how supply constraints will affect availability following the Japan earthquake and tsunami.
Apple plans to roll out the new iPad on Friday to 25 markets including France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, and Spain. The iPad 2, a thinner and faster version that features two cameras for video chat, was introduced in the United States on March 11.
But some would-be buyers have expressed frustration at how difficult it has been to secure one of the wildly popular tablet computers, sparking speculation Apple misjudged demand.
“If it wasn’t for the iPad, I wouldn’t be in Australia right now,” said Alex Lee, a backpacker from Canada, who was the first in the queue outside the glass-fronted Apple store in Sydney’s central business district.
He said he diverted his travels from Singapore to attend the launch. “It’s like a habit. I’ve also lined up on Regent Street in London for the iPhone”, added Lee, who had a folding chair and blanket and had spent two nights waiting.
Blue-shirted Apple staff in Sydney handed out trays of sandwiches to those in the queue, some of whom had bedded down on blankets overnight before being awoken by bright sunshine. The iPad 2 goes on sale at 5 p.m. local time (0400) GMT in New Zealand and at 0600 GMT on the east coast of Australia, before sales kick off in other markets.
Its retail price in Australia starts at A$579 ($568), against $499 in the United States. Chief Executive Steve Jobs said in a statement on Tuesday the company was “experiencing amazing demand for iPad 2 in the U.S.” and added “We appreciate everyone’s patience and we are working hard to build enough iPads for everyone.”
Fiona Martin, a spokeswoman for Apple in Australia, declined to comment on whether there was enough stock to meet demand. “We don’t comment on speculation, we’ve got plenty down there for all those folk that are in the queue.”
In New Zealand, a shop assistant at JB HiFi , one of Wellington’s major electronic shops, said there had been a constant stream of people asking about the iPad. “We haven’t even seen it, we don’t know how many we’re getting, but there’ll be big demand you can bet,” said the assistant.
A prospective buyer, 22-year-old student Ian MacDonald, said he had held off buying the first generation iPad because it lacked a camera and he wanted any bugs ironed out.
“This version looks way better, with the cameras and it beats all the other tablets because there are so many apps (applications),” he said.
In addition to Friday’s rollout, Apple said the iPad 2 will be available in Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and additional countries in April. Japan supply concerns
Analysts are concerned that Apple will face shortages of key components for the iPad 2 because of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan two weeks ago. Several key components in the new version of Apple’s popular iPad come from Japan, including the battery and the flash memory used to store music and video on the device, according to IT research house iSuppli .
Apple delayed sales of the iPad 2 in Japan, but has said that had nothing to do with any component shortages. “We expect Apple to face increased pressure in meeting iPad 2 and iPhone 4 demand in the second quarter,” Stifel Nicolaus analyst Doug Reid wrote recently.
“Although it is early to gauge the extent of component supply shortages, we see risk to our iPad and iPhone unit estimates in the June quarter.”
That said, the wait time on delivery of online orders has shortened to 3-4 weeks in recent days from as high as 6-7 weeks, suggesting component shortages have not reached critical levels. The iPad two also faces increased competition.
Samsung Electronics and Motorola have tablets on the market and Blackberry-maker Research In Motion and Hewlett-Packard Co are set to release tablets in coming months.

Mini LNG Terminals to be Built in Indonesia

President Director of state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina, Karen Agustiawan

State oil and gas company PT Pertamina and state electricity company PT PLN have signed a contract for the development of eight small-scale liquefied natural gas recipient terminals in the eastern parts of Indonesia.
Pertamina President Director Karen Agustiawan and PLN President Director Dahlan Iskan signed the contract in the presence of State Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar here on Thursday.
Mustafa said the construction of LNG terminals would help the country reduce the use of fuel oils and slash state subsidy. According to him, the government expected to save Rp847 billion in oil subsidy by operating the eight LNG terminals.
The project would also help accelerate the development of eastern Indonesia, he said. "PLN and Pertamina are the first to speed up evenly distribution of development gains (in the country)."
Karen meanwhile said the eight LNG terminals which would have a combined capacity of 182 million cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) would be built between 2012 and 2015. The eight mini LNG terminals will be built in Tanjung Batu (East Kalimantan) with a capacity of 25 MMSCFD, Batakan (East Kalimantan) 15 MMSCFD, Pasanggaran (Bali) 25-30 MMSCFD, and Pomalaa (Southeast Sulawesi) 25 MMSCFD expected to start operations in 2012.
Karen said the Bontang refinery in East Kalimantan would supply gas to the four LNG terminals. The other LNG terminals will be built in Mataram (West Nusa Tenggara) 15 MMSCFD and Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan) 6 MMSCFD expected to start operations in 2013 and Gorontalo (North Sulawesi) 6 MMSCFD, Halmahera (North Maluku) 60 MMSCFD in 2015.
Dahlan Iskan said the gas supplies from the eight LNG terminals would overcome problems related to the use of fuel oils during the peak load. "To date, there is no other way but to rely on fuel oils."

The Korean Company to Invest in Indonesia's Petrochemical Industry

South Korean retail company Lotte Group plans to invest around US$5 billion in the Indonesian petrochemical industry, a minister said. The company was currently looking for a suitable location for its production facility to produce raw materials for petrochemical industry, Mohamad Suleman Hidayat said here on Wednesday.
"It is in the process of choosing Merak (Banten) or Tuban (East Java) as the location (for its production facility)," he said.
He said if the company realized its investment plan in Indonesia this year, the country would have naphta and condensate plants in the next five years. According to him, the government was making an effort to attract investors to build oil refineries capable of producing raw materials for the petrochemical industry such as naphta and condensate to meet rising demand from the chemical industry.
Lotte Group consists of over 60 business units employing 60,000 people engaged in such diverse industries as candy manufacturing, beverages, hotels, fast food, retail, financial services, heavy chemicals, electronics, information technology, construction, publishing, and entertainment.
Lotte has major operations by Shin Kyuk-Ho’s family located in Japan and South Korea with businesses in China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, the United States, Russia, the Philippines and Poland.

Indonesia Govt Decides to Keep Tripoli Embassy Functioning

Air attacks: An RAF Tornado GR4 leaves a trail of heat haze as it takes off from RAF Marham, in Norfolk yesterday

The Indonesian government has decided to keep its embassy in Tripoli open to serve Indonesian nationals who are possibly still in Libya, Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said.
"We have reported to the President that in essence our embassy will remain open although the number of staff has been reduced," Marty said at the presidential palace here on Monday.
The Indonesian ambassador to Libya Ibnu Said, according to Marty, had reported that 20 out of the 24 Indonesian nationals at the embassy had left for Tunisia on Monday.
"The group consists of nine embassy staff and 11 migrant workers so that only four people are left at our embassy and these four will keep the mission functioning to serve Indonesians who might need protection," he said. The four staff members remaining at the embassy were two diplomats, including the ambassador and two local staff.
"We will continue evaluating. Our staff is authorized to immediately close the embassy if conditions worsen as they are the ones who could give the best evaluation of the situation," he said.
The minister said several countries had already closed their embassies in Tripoli or stopped their activity due to increasing tension in the oil exporting country.
"Today, the staffs of the Vietnamese and Indian embassies also left the country. Most foreign embassies in Tripoli have closed. To my knowledge, only the Philippine and Indonesian embassies are still open although their staffs have been cut," he said.
Overall, Marty stated, a total of 839 Indonesian nationals in Libya had so far been evacuated to Tunisia.

Korean Consortium Buys 90 Pct Stake in Indonesia Coal Mine

A barge, transporting coal from Berau Coal, sails during an open-sea transhipment in Berau district in Indonesias East Kalimantan province August 17, 2010. The coal will be exported to Japan, China and other Asian countries, Berau Coals spokesman said on Tuesday. Indonesia is the worlds biggest thermal coal exporter. Picture taken August 17, 2010.

A South Korean consortium has acquired a 90% stake in a 244 million-ton Indonesian coal mine for $84.15 million, the Korea Resource Corp., or Kores said Tuesday.
Kores will invest $36.46 million in the coal mine, with production planned to start in 2013, the state-run resources company said in a statement.

PT PAL Delivers Warship to Defense Ministry

State-owned shipbuilder PT PAL on Monday handed over a warship, the KRI Banda Aceh, to the defense ministry to support the Indonesian navy’s operations. The warship was handed over symbolically by the company’s president director, Harsusanto, to Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro at the company’s general engine division here on Monday.
The event was witnessed by state enterprises minister Mustafa Abubakar, defense forces commander Admiral Agus Suhartono, navy chief of staff Admiral Soeparno and members of the House of Representatives’ Commission I (defense affairs). The 125-meter-long landing platform dock ship was designed specially as a military ship capable of carrying troops, combat and tactical vehicles and helicopters.
Before being handed over the ship had already undergone a series of test sailing from March 2 to 8 to see its performance and also a navigational inspection on March 14.
"All the targets set according to contracts tested have been met. Some capabilities have even surpassed targets such as the ship’s speed set in the contract at 15 knots but in the test the ship could sail up to 15.2 knot. This proves that the domestically produced ship could be relied upon and give pride," Harsusanto said.
State enterprises minister Mustafa Abubakar meanwhile expresed hope that the good relations between PT PAL and the ministry of defense and the navy could be continuously maintained and increased through development of main weapon system equipment or inputs given to PT PAL for improvement of the company’s future performance.
Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said the ship was needed by the navy "not only for carrying out its combat duty but also for other activities including humanitarian missions. Every year the navy (TNI-AL) conducts humanitarian mission Bhaskara Jaya," he said.
Since 1980 PT PAL has already built more than 200 ships of various kinds and measures. With regard to trading vessels the company has been able to build up to 50,000 DWT ships while it has also been able to build warships ordered by the navy.
With regard to speed patrol boats PT PAL has been able to produce various kinds and versions of the boat starting from 14-meter long up to 57 meter long boats. KRI Banda Aceh is the fourth warship of LDP version produced by PT PAL. The company has partnered with Daewoo International Corporation for building the ship.