KAI Records 15.7mn Tons of Freight Transportation in Q1/2024

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) or KAI recorded approximately 15.76 million tons of goods transported in Q1/2024. The figure reflects a 3 percent year-on-year increase from Q1/2023's volume of 15.34 million tons.

Raden Agus Dwinanto Budiadji, KAI's EVP of corporate secretary, said that the growth in freight transportation in the first quarter was mainly due to the increase in frequency and routes. In addition, KAI has added a new carriage to its train set.

"The additional carriage is in response to customers' increasing demand for freight transportation by train," Agus said in his statement on Tuesday, April 30.

In the first quarter, KAI's freight traffic was dominated by coal with 12.49 million tons, accounting for 79 percent of the total cargo. Agus said that coal transportation is concentrated in the southern part of Sumatra, which is used to support the national energy supply.

"A set of trains transporting coal in southern Sumatra can pull 60 cars or 3,000 tons at a time. If transported by truck, it would take about 120 trucks," he said, highlighting the efficiency of using trains to transport coal, in addition to the time savings.

Agus added that KAI is continuing its efforts to strengthen freight transportation. One of its efforts is to cooperate with Progress Rail, a subsidiary of Caterpillar from the United States. This cooperation project aims to procure 54 locomotives.

The agreement with Progress Rail to procure locomotives is part of KAI's strategic steps in its plan to develop freight transportation in South Sumatra.

Novali Panji Nugroho

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