Boosts for freight railways features the aim of improving the connections with the ports and being conducive to foreign trade. amongst the key projects, the modernisation to the south of sumatra or the railroad Trans-Kalimantan.
The need to transport the abundant natural resources of Indonesia, such as (coal, oil, minerals, etc.) has led to the promotion of new railway developments in order to improve the connection with ports and boost foreign trade.
Modernisation south of Sumatra
The state company PT Bukit Asam, owner of the coal mine, wishes to increase its annual distribution capacity to 65 million tons by the year 2023. To fulfil this aim, it will partner with state railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI). The idea of this link is to modernise the two railway lines existing in South Sumatra. Work on the first route will renew the journey from the Bukit Asam mine in Tanjung Enim to the Kertapati coal port. With these improvements, the annual capacity to transport five million tons of coal in 2019 will be expanded upon. The second project will focus on the branch that runs from Tanjung Enim to the Tarahan terminal, which will have an annual capacity to transport 25 million tons once the works are completed in 2020.The company also plans to develop three new routes to the ports of Prajin and Kramasan in South Sumatra and that of Srengsem in Lampung.
Trans-Kalimantan
One of the freight connections proposed by the Government is the Trans-Kalimantan railway spanning 2,428 kilometres. With an estimated cost of 2.300 billion euros, with the same currently in the feasibility study stage. The route would go from Pontianak in the west of Kalimantan to Samarinda in the east.
Connections with the port of Kuala Tanjung
The port of Kuala Tanjung, which will be developed in four stages, will also incorporate a railway connection from Sei Mangke KEK. These facilities will have a terminal and a transformation centre, both located rather close to an industrial zone. The container port will have capacity for two million TEU.