According to Colombia Reports, President Juan Manuel Santos asked the minister to make the trip after ordering the US-based producer to suspend all loading and unloading activities outside of direct loading, which went into effect on January 1.

Colombian media previously said at the end of last year that Drummond’s automated system was weeks, possibly months, away from coming online.

Drummond officials reportedly said at the time it would be March before the system would be done, and exports could be halted as a result.

The miner is already in hot water with the Colombian government for the illegal dumping of more than 2000 tons of coal into the Carribean Sea last February. The company said its crews were hoping to avoid the sinking of a vessel.

The company’s port operations were idled for three weeks during an investigation of the incident. It was later fined $US3.5 million.

According to the Santa Marta harbor master, Colombia Reports said, Drummond has continued loading coal to barges with cranes after January 1, when the method was officially banned.

What followed was Santos’ order to “evaluate the direct loading situation” in Santa Marta and “do not hesitate to take [a] decision that protects [the] environment”

Colombia is the world’s fourth largest coal exporter, and the largest coal producer in South America.

Drummond and Cerrejon are the country’s largest coal players.