ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – Indonesia’s rapidly expanding nickel processing industry is increasingly relying on imported raw materials, with nickel ore shipments from the Philippines more than doubling during the first five months of 2026 as smelter demand continues to accelerate.
Official data released by Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) show the country imported 6.02 million metric tons of nickel ore and concentrates from the Philippines between January and May 2026, representing a 116.8% year-on-year increase from 2.78 million tons in the same period last year.
The figures highlight the growing integration of Southeast Asia’s nickel supply chain, where the Philippines has become an increasingly important supplier of raw ore to Indonesia—the world’s largest nickel producer and home to the largest concentration of nickel smelters.
Most of the imported ore was shipped to Weda, North Maluku, which received approximately 3.69 million tons, reinforcing the region’s position as one of Indonesia’s key nickel-processing hubs.
Additional imports were delivered to Morowali, Central Sulawesi (852,651 tons), Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi (817,751 tons), and Kolonodale (656,551 tons), all of which host major nickel processing facilities that support Indonesia’s downstream metals industry.
The sharp increase reflects the country’s soaring appetite for nickel feedstock as new smelters and refining facilities continue to expand production of ferronickel, nickel pig iron, mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), and other intermediate products supplying the global stainless steel and electric vehicle battery industries.
While Indonesia remains one of the world’s largest nickel ore producers, the rapid expansion of its downstream industry has significantly increased demand for additional feedstock, encouraging processors to secure supplies from neighboring Philippines.
For global commodity markets, the trend underscores Indonesia’s evolution from a major raw-material exporter into the world’s dominant nickel processing hub—one that is reshaping regional trade flows and strengthening Southeast Asia’s strategic role in the global energy transition. (AT Network)
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