Chandra Asri Petrochemical has decided to delay the planned maintenance shutdown of its cracker in Cilegon, Indonesia, shifting the turnaround to January 2026. According to market sources, the maintenance was originally scheduled to take place in November 2025 with an expected duration of approximately 50 days. The revised schedule, however, leaves several details unclear, including the exact length of the shutdown, as no official confirmation has yet been provided by the company.
The Cilegon cracker is one of the most significant petrochemical facilities in Indonesia, with an ethylene production capacity of 900,000 metric tons per year and a propylene capacity of 490,000 metric tons per year. Given its size and importance, any changes in the unit’s operational schedule can influence regional supply balances, trade flows, and pricing sentiment across Southeast Asia’s petrochemical markets.
Postponements of major turnarounds are not uncommon in the industry, as operators frequently adjust timelines based on market dynamics, operational requirements, and logistical considerations. For traders, converters, and downstream manufacturers, the delay may provide short-term relief by ensuring continued supply during the final months of 2025, a period when demand from packaging, automotive, and construction sectors typically remains active.
Nevertheless, the rescheduled January 2026 shutdown will still be closely watched by market participants, particularly as it coincides with the start of the new year when inventory management and demand planning become critical. The length and scope of the turnaround could temporarily tighten regional ethylene and propylene availability, potentially impacting derivative markets such as polyethylene and polypropylene.
Until an official statement is released by Chandra Asri, the industry remains attentive to further developments, weighing both the near-term stability provided by the delay and the longer-term implications of a major maintenance outage early next year.
