KTMB will start a second ‘domestic feeder’ leg between Prai in Penang to Port Klang beginning next month.

The railway operator is planning to start a thrice-weekly run, with the possibility of increasing the frequency at a later stage.

KTMB general manager (freight services division) Abdul Radzak Malek said the new services were in addition to the existing five ‘sailings’ a week for the Pasir Gudang to Port Klang route.

“Our rail feeder network will complement the sea feeder vessels and not compete with them." “This is in response to the need for more feedering services and due to the uptrend in container volume."

“We have been talking to various shipping lines that have expressed interest in tying up with us,” he said.

Abdul Radzak said KTMB’s land feeder was set up with the aim of making sure that cargo exported from Malaysia was provided with a lot more facilities compared to what was restricted on ocean going feeder vessels.

With our railway tracks connecting right up to Northport and Westport, exporters will be given easier access to Port Klang’s terminals.

“This is good in developing the port as a transhipment hub and load centre and the country as a whole.”

The land feeder service runs along the vessel concept whereby train operations are managed in a manner where wagons can be dispatched in block (or liner) on a just-in-time basis to meet specific shipment’s requirement.The trains are named and numbered with allotted times of arrival and departure.

This allows customers, freight forwarders and other operators to plan their logistic movement.

The first run for this sector was on Oct 5, with CMA CGM.

Abdul Radzak said KTMB would also start moving reefer trains carrying refrigerated goods. “We have carried out three trial runs so far and overall it has shown good progress but we still have some loose ends to tighten."

“The final tests will be done within the next week or so. We expect to start the first run on April 15.”

On reports of equipment shortage in the northern sector, Abdul Radzak said this was no longer the case as the company had deployed five trains daily on the route.

This included the wagons carrying cargo from South Thailand via Penang Port.He urged freight forwarders to streamline their operations plans at the border to accommodate the scheduled timing.

The efficiency at the terminal must be there. Now we are already getting that kind of co-operation but what is needed is to ensure that the loads will be there on time to carry and fulfil the timing,” he said, responding to complaints that there was a shortage of equipment to service the sector.

Abdul Radzak added that the capacity for the South Thailand route would be increased when the existing locomotives were replaced by the Blue Tiger locomotives in June.

He said the engines would have the capacity to carry between 60 and 80 twenty-foot containers one way compared to the present 50 boxes.

“Because of the additional carrying capacity, we will be able to reduce our frequencies thus leaving us with extra locomotives to be deployed.

“The South Thailand run has good development potential for us,” he said, adding that the railway company moved 6,500 TEUs a month for that business compared to 5,500 boxes monthly a year ago.

It is understood the South Thailand sector alone contributes some 18% to revenue at KTMB’s freight division.

KTMB is projecting a freight revenue of RM110mil this year as against RM100mil last year.

It moved 4.6mil tonnes of freight last year and is targeting 5.4mil tonnes this year.