A source said the sale was a result of cabotage laws in Indonesia and the current trend where large coal mines were moving to take control of the logistics of shipping coal.
The buyer, said to be involved in the coal business, would become a strategic partner for Scomi Marine’s business in Indonesia.
One of Scomi Marine Bhd’s accommodation barges. The group is primarily involved in transporting and providing logistics support for major coal producers in Indonesia.
“A big boy in the business is coming in,” said the source.
The marine logistics business of Scomi Marine primarily involves the transportation and provision of logistics support for major coal producers in Indonesia.
According to its annual report, the company carried almost 28 million tonnes of coal in 2009, 3% lower than in 2008 due to the slowdown in coal demand.
Scomi Marine yesterday halted trading in its stock on Bursa Malaysia until the close of trading on Tuesday.
The company said in a filing the suspension of trading was to facilitate a material corporate exercise involving a substantial transaction which would entail the disposal of certain subsidiaries of the company.
No further details were given. The stock closed up 2.5 sen yesterday at 43 sen after surging nearly 18% this week.
Scomi Marine has an 80.54% stake in PT Rig Tenders Indonesia Tbk, a company listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange.
According to its website, Rig Tenders is involved in the chartering of tugs and barges to transport coal and other bulk aggregates as well as chartering of supply vessels, work-over and accommodation barges to support the offshore oil and gas industry.
Rig Tenders currently owns and operates a fleet of 53 vessels consisting of 10 supply vessels, 25 tug boats, two accommodation/work-over barges, nine flat-top barges and seven self-discharging barges. It has 491 personnel, including 437 contractual workers.
For its first quarter ended March 31, Scomi Marine’s net profit nearly doubled to RM21.9mil from RM11.1mil in the previous corresponding period.
Revenue was marginally lower at RM102.8mil compared with RM110.4mil previously.
In April, Scomi Marine completed the sale of a 29.07% stake in Singapore-listed CH Offshore Ltd for S$143.5mil, which saw the company make a gain of RM161.9mil.
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