KUALA LUMPUR: The regional rail industry is entering an exciting phase driven by international initiatives like the Pan-Asia Railway and state-level projects across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), including Malaysia.
Hartasuma Sdn Bhd group executive director, Tan Sri Ravindran Menon, said that according to the International Energy Agency, rail is among the most energy-efficient modes of transport for freight and passengers.
While rail carries 8.0 per cent of the world's passengers and 7.0 per cent of global freight transport, it represents just 2.0 per cent of total transport energy demand.
"Clearly, there is immense potential to reduce carbon emissions by transitioning cargo and passenger transport to rail and pursuing rail decarbonisation," Menon said.
Hartasuma, a rolling stock and rail services company, aims to expand its regional footprint by leveraging the shift towards sustainable energy and increasing investments in rail infrastructure across Asean.
To prepare for its next phase of growth, the company has signed two collaboration agreements—one with Australia's Downer Group, a rail and transit systems provider, and another with Indonesia's PT Len Railway Systems (PT LRS).
These partnerships aim to focus on rail decarbonisation and other rail-related projects in the Asean region.
In a statement, Hartasuma announced that it signed strategic partnership agreements with Downer Group and PT Len Railway Systems during the launch of the Malaysia Pavilion at InnoTrans 2024, the world's largest railway industry exhibition, which is ongoing in Berlin, Germany, till September 27.
Ambassador of Malaysia to Germany, Datin Paduka Dr Adina Kamarudin, witnessed the signing ceremonies between Menon, Downer's chief operating officer of rail and transit systems, Stephen Kakavas, and PT LRS' acting president director, Helarius Agung Suryantoro.
The agreement between Hartasuma and Downer brings the companies together for decarbonisation initiatives, engineering innovations, and digital solutions. The two companies will also participate in best-practice sharing on diversity and inclusion initiatives, leveraging best practices from Australia to improve female participation in Malaysia's rail sector.
Hartasuma and PT LRS, a subsidiary of PT LEN, Indonesia's largest provider of railway applications and safety systems, aim to collaborate on the development of rail subsystems, including signalling, and to explore decarbonisation initiatives that promote hybrid rail technology.
"As we work towards expanding our footprint across ASEAN, we are excited to collaborate with Downer and PT LRS, two leaders in the railway industry. These partnerships will not only strengthen our capabilities in the hybrid locomotive segment but also drive wider innovation in eco-friendly rail solutions across ASEAN," Menon said.
Menon said a study shows that hybrid rail systems typically combine diesel and electric drive systems to potentially reduce fuel consumption by 50 per cent, compared to trains that rely exclusively on diesel.