KTMB's Freight Revenue Rises 10 Pct To RM96 Mln In 9M 2026

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 30 (Bernama) -- Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) continues to strengthen its freight business, recording RM96 million in revenue for the first nine months (9M) of 2026, up 10 per cent from the same period last year.

The railway operator said the strong performance indicates growing demand for rail freight services, with KTMB transporting 1.3 million tonnes of cargo, up 16 per cent, while container movements rose six per cent to 173,844 twenty-foot equivalent units.

“These achievements reflect the continued importance of rail transportation in supporting Malaysia's industrial and logistics sectors, while highlighting the need to strengthen operational capabilities to accommodate future growth.

“As part of its long-term strategy, KTMB is advancing the rolling stock strategy (RSS), a strategic initiative to complement KTMB's existing ageing fleet, maximise asset availability and sustain reliable freight operations, while progressively strengthening cargo capacity to support future business growth and the government's national road-to-rail agenda,” it said in a statement today. 

With a significant portion of KTMB's rolling stock having served the railway industry for many years, KTMB said RSS provides an important framework to progressively strengthen fleet capabilities through targeted rehabilitation, replacement, and enhancement of critical assets.

The initiative is designed to optimise the use of existing rolling stock while complementing it with enhanced fleet capabilities, enabling freight operations to sustain optimal capacity and maintain reliable services for customers, it said.

“By strengthening asset readiness and operational flexibility, RSS will support more effective fleet deployment, improve service consistency and enable KTMB to respond more efficiently to the evolving requirements of manufacturers, exporters, port operators and logistics providers,” it said.

Looking ahead, by complementing its existing rolling stock, maximising asset utilisation and strengthening operational reliability, RSS would enable KTMB to sustain freight service continuity while progressively expanding its capacity to meet future industry demand, it said. 

“More importantly, the initiative reinforces KTMB's commitment to supporting Malaysia's economic development by strengthening rail freight as a reliable, competitive and sustainable component of the national logistics network. 

“Through RSS, KTMB aims to strengthen the operational readiness required to support these services and capitalise on the growing demand for regional rail freight transportation,” it added. 

-- BERNAMA