Cases / Mining · Indonesia · 2023–2025
Indonesia reopened sea sand exports in 2023; Supreme Court annulled them in 2025
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Not on record
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
What the record lacks: 1 none on record · 2 insufficient · 1 not measured · 1 disputed · 1 unclear See the gaps
Indonesia lifted a 2003 ban on sea sand exports in 2023, citing sediment management. Fishing communities report lost income, and the Supreme Court struck down the export articles in 2025.
What?
Indonesia reopened sea sand exports under PP 26/2023 in 2023; the Supreme Court annulled the export articles in 2025. Bisnis
Where?
Indonesia; fishing impacts reported in Spermonde and Riau.
When?
Export ban from 2003; reopened in 2023; Supreme Court ruling in 2025, with the decision date given as 2 January or 2 June. Bisnis
Who?
Gained
- Indonesian state and exporting companies — Export licences; 66 companies applied for permits
Lost
- Spermonde and Riau fishers — Lower fishing income; CELIOS estimated losses of 990 billion rupiah and 36,400 jobs Mongabay Indonesia
Harmed
None on recordWhy?
Officially described as sediment management, ecosystem health and navigation safety.
How?
A regulation allowed exports and companies applied for permits; a judicial review led the Supreme Court to annul the export articles. Bisnis
6 of 6 questions answered from the record
What happened
The record, in order.
The government reopened sea sand exports in 2023 under Government Regulation PP 26/2023, after a ban in place since 2003. The ministry called the measure sediment management, citing ecosystem health and navigation safety.
The ministry put national sediment potential at 17.66 billion cubic metres against a domestic need of 435,433 cubic metres, and 66 companies applied for export permits.
In 2025 the Supreme Court found the export articles contrary to the Marine Law, Bisnis reported. Mongabay Indonesia reported requests to cancel permits held by more than 60 exporters, and CELIOS estimated fishing losses of 990 billion rupiah and 36,400 jobs.
In court and with insurers
Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.
Lawsuits and rulings
- Claimant wonJudicial review of PP 26/2023 export articles (case 5 P/HUM/2025)Supreme Court of Indonesia · Administrative · Not named in the sources reviewed → Government of Indonesia
The Court found the export articles (10(2) to (4)) of PP 26/2023 contrary to the Marine Law. Sources give the decision date as 2 January or 2 June 2025. Bisnis
Insurers
No insurer decision on record.
What we don't know
Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: the Indonesia Business Post dated the reopening to 15 May 2023 and linked Ministry of Trade regulations 20 and 21/2024 of 29 August 2024 to its implementation.
- Insufficient Reported but not verified: unregulated exports removed 26 sand islands in Riau, and the Nipah island sank in 2003 after about 300 million cubic metres of sand were reportedly moved illegally.
- Disputed The decision date of the Supreme Court ruling is given as 2 January or 2 June 2025 in different sources.
- Unclear Implementation after the ruling is unclear in the sources reviewed.
- None on record BPK Riau (September 2024) reported suspected benefits linked to 134 environmental documents (47 AMDAL/DELH and 87 UKL-UPL) in Riau; the sources reviewed do not link these to sand permits.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations— Communities and civil society— Researchers
Press and investigations
- MA Kabulkan Uji Materi PP 26/2023, Pemerintah Dilarang Ekspor Pasir LautBisnis · 2025-06-26
- Menanti pembenahan pasca MA cabut aturan ekspor pasir lautMongabay Indonesia · 2025-07-09
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Related matters, and cases linked to this one through the same organisations, with the role each played in both.
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