A sprawling inland port under construction in Malaysia’s northern state of Perlis is being touted as a game-changer for global trade.
Positioned as the linchpin of a new Europe-to-Asia rail corridor, the Perlis Inland Port could offer exporters a vital alternative to disrupted shipping routes, as the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine and Gaza conflicts continues to upend trade.
The project, spearheaded by Mutiara Perlis at a cost of 492 million ringgit (US$111 million), aims to transform Perlis into a key node in a burgeoning rail logistics network connecting Europe, Southeast Asia and China. For a region long reliant on shipping, rail freight could spell faster, more reliable delivery – provided the right infrastructure falls into place.
Over the past two years, Malaysia has stepped up its efforts to develop a Pan-Asian rail network, a long-delayed vision that would link Singapore to Kunming in western China. The initiative, designed to boost overland freight transport, is geared towards meeting the growing demand for goods such as rubber, palm oil and halal products in landlocked parts of Asia.
The proposed network envisions a rail artery running from Singapore through Malaysia, Thailand and Laos, before reaching China. Branching routes would extend east to Vietnam and Cambodia, and west to Myanmar and India.
