Indonesia’s state-owned port operator PT Pelabuhan Indonesia II (Pelindo II) and state-run railway firm PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) are partnering to revitalize the Pidada-Panjang railway to improve the connectivity between the Port of Panjang and the areas surrounding it.
KAI conducted trial runs by train along the railway from Pidada to the Port of Panjang in Lampung on the southern tip of Sumatra Island in mid-June this year, said Doso Agung, general manager of the Port of Panjang.
When upgraded, the railway can be used to transport goods from around Sumatra by train and directly loaded onto ships at the port, according to a report published on Pelindo II’s website.
The commodities that can be transported from South Sumatra include coal, tropical fruits, rubber, and empty containers. Items that can be carried from the Port of Panjang include fertilizer, cement, and consumer goods.
Currently, goods are ferried by trucks to and from the port.
Pelindo II will also reorganize the port premises into different zones according to designated types of goods and packaging to increase the operational efficiency of the port and railway system.
Additionally, it plans to reclaim coastal land at the port to support liquid and dry bulk-handling activities, said Doso.
