KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), a mega rail project in Malaysia being built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) will enable seamless logistics connectivity between ports and logistics centers in Malaysia when completed thus optimizing the country's trade and transport potential, a Malaysian official said on Friday.
Not only will this enable greater efficiency, it will also allow Malaysia to realize its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) by moving a large portion of freight transported from fossil fuel trucks and vehicles to electrified trains, Darwis Abdul Razak, chief executive officer of Malaysia Rail Link (MRL), the ECRL project owner, said during a panel discussion here.
"Instead of trucking freight cargo, a large amount is projected to be carried on the ECRL which will help reduce emissions and realize our ESG goals, especially environmental and emission goals as it will be a transition from trucks to an electrified railway," he said at the "Seamless Connectivity: ECRL's Role in Optimizing East and West Ports Logistics" panel held in conjunction with the Selangor Investment & Industrial Park Expo (SPARK) 2024.
"It will also mean less competition on our road network not to mention the reduced number of vehicles as the passenger component of ECRL will enable safe and efficient travel for the public," he added.
Meanwhile, Kuantan Port chief commercial officer Mazlim Husin said the ECRL has incentivized the upgrading of the Kuantan Port to be capable of handling much larger vessels and allowing for greater economies of scale.
"This has enabled us to support the development of heavy industries in the hinterland," he said, adding that this has contributed to development in not just Pahang state but along the east coast.
The ECRL runs from Malaysia's largest transport hub Port Klang and travels across the peninsula to Kelantan state in northeastern Malaysia. The rail link is expected to greatly enhance connectivity and bring more balanced growth to the country by linking its less-developed region on the east coast to the economic heartland on the west coast upon its completion. ■