Segamat Inland Port Targets More Than 6,000 TEUs Until Year-End
By Kamarul Halim M Kamal
SEGAMAT, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Segamat Inland Port (SIP) aims to handle over 6,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers by the end of this year, following the resumption of its operations in late June.
SIP manager Samuel Ho said that during its first month of operation, up to July, the inland port -- managed by Infinity Logistics & Transport -- handled approximately 1,000 TEUs of containerised and bulk cargo.
He said the facility supports industrial needs, especially in northern Johor, southern Pahang, southern Negeri Sembilan and Melaka.
Ho added that the reactivation of SIP, which had been relatively inactive for more than 10 years, was in line with the government’s efforts to strengthen rail transport through the Road to Rail initiative, in collaboration with Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd.
“The reactivation of SIP was also driven by safety considerations, as rail transport is safer than trucks, which are exposed to the risk of accidents and delays caused by road congestion.
“Rail transport also helps reduce diesel consumption, as one cargo train journey is equivalent to the movement of about 80 container trucks,” he told Bernama recently.
He noted that previously, the use of the freight trains at SIP was considered to be less practical due to single-track operations, which required cargo schedules to prioritise passenger trains.
However, this had changed following the completion of the double-tracking project to Johor, thereby allowing for greater flexibility in scheduling freight services from major ports such as Port Klang, Port of Tanjung Pelepas, and Johor Port in Pasir Gudang.
“Now SIP is capable of handling up to four cargo receiving and dispatch trips a week, compared with only about one trip per week when the single-track system was used, based on information from the previous operator.
“We want SIP to become a catalyst for economic growth, particularly in northern Johor, including districts such as Batu Pahat and Kluang, as well as to serve as a main gateway for rail-based cargo movement.
“Indirectly, the facility also has the potential to help attract more investors to develop factories or warehouses in the surrounding industrial areas,” he said.
Ho said SIP currently operates on 20.23 hectares in its first phase, located alongside the Segamat Railway Station, adding that the overall development of the facility comprises three phases.
He said the operation of the first phase had created more than 200 jobs for local residents, with the number expected to increase upon completion of all three phases.
“In our efforts to share knowledge and expertise on the operation of rail-based inland ports, we are also collaborating with Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), including by providing exposure to fieldwork and conducting several studies,” said Ho.
SIP was established and began operations in 1997 but received limited response before being reactivated on June 25, 2026, with its official launch officiated by Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook.
At the ceremony, Loke was reported as saying that SIP was expected to become a catalyst for economic development in northern Johor, while strengthening the logistics network and improving the efficiency of the country’s transport system and supply chain.
He said SIP’s operation could also create more jobs for local residents, particularly in the security and logistics sectors, while increasing cargo-handling capacity in inland areas.
SIP is expected to reduce about 18,000 lorry movements, including trailers and container trucks, on the roads each month, thereby helping to ease congestion, improve road safety and optimise the use of the rail network.
– BERNAMA