MALAYSIAN national oil company Petronas has appointed Canarail to undertake design of an 80 km industrial railway along the country’s northeast coast. Scheduled to open in 2001, it would link processing plants around Kerteh to the port of Kuantan. Last year Canarail completed an initial feasibility study for the link, which is intended to carry a mix of traffics which cannot be handled by the existing pipeline network.
The line would start from a petrochemical complex north of Kerteh and run a few km inland to avoid the coastal villages. Major bridges will be required across the Kerteh river and two rivers near Kemaman Point. Southern terminus would be the new Kuantan port development 5 km north of the old town.
Three branches are also under consideration. A northern feeder would run northwest from Kerteh to another complex at Tok Arun, whilst a short spur at the southern end would run to the Gebengare industry complex. The third branch would be located in the Kemaman area midway along the main line. o
