PT Kereta Api Indonesia (PT KAI) has officially launched the operation of its latest CC205 freight locomotives, manufactured by Progress Rail. The inauguration was held on August 20 and was attended by Heru Kuswanto, Director of Infrastructure and Facilities Management at PT KAI, and John Newman, CEO of Progress Rail.
The train made its journey from Panjang Port to Tanjungkarang station, in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia.
Following a series of comprehensive technical inspections, the CC205 freight locomotive is now fully operational and will be used to haul coal, contributing to the national energy supply. With a hauling capacity of 61 wagons, equivalent to approximately 3,050 tonnes, the locomotive significantly enhances freight transport efficiency.
The deployment of the CC205 marks a strategic move by KAI to modernise its logistics operations. The high-performance locomotive is expected to replace hundreds of container lorries, thereby reducing road congestion and lowering air pollution in the surrounding regions.
One of the locomotive’s most notable features is its environmental impact. The vehicle is capable of reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 84%, supporting KAI’s commitment to green, sustainable, and future-ready rail transport.
“This milestone represents a major step forward in our vision for efficient and environmentally responsible logistics. By shifting freight transport from road to rail, we are helping to build a more competitive and advanced Indonesia,” PT KAI says.
In February 2024, PT KAI signed a contract worth approximately USD 222.4 million with Progress Rail to procure 54 EMD® GT38AC locomotives, also known locally as the CC205 freight locomotives.
The new EMD locomotives join their fleet of 91 GT38AC locomotives delivered to PT KAI since 2011. The high tractive effort capability of these AC propulsion locomotives provides significant operational savings and greenhouse gas reductions for the railway’s operations on the Sumatra Island.
In May 2024, Progress Rail and PT KAI signed a service maintenance agreement for the 35 EMD GT38AC locomotives which were delivered in 2022 for transport in South Sumatra, Indonesia. The contract runs for six years.
This is the third such agreement Progress Rail has signed with PT KAI for the CC205 class locomotives. The first contract was signed for 50 GT38ACs in September 2013 and later extended to cover 55 locomotives. Another six-year contract was signed in 2020 for the 55 units, including bogie overhauls and a major 12-year overhaul of the locomotives.
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