Rail-mounted gantry cranes at the company’s freight terminal in Sydney could reduce truck use by up to 100,000 journeys per year.
Pacific National has launched two new $30 million rail mounted gantry cranes at its intermodal terminal in Chullora, western Sydney.
The new infrastructure is expected to double its throughput capacity to 600,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) each year.
The cranes are especially designed to move faster, lift faster and also have a larger capacity than the cranes they have replaced.
CEO of Pacific National’s parent company Asciano John Mullen says that means more consistent service levels, better on-time performance and a more efficient rail service.
He adds that the investment will help to significantly increase the amount of freight leaving Port Botany by rail.
“This new infrastructure will equip the Sydney Freight Terminal to immediately assist the New South Wales Government achieve its goal of doubling the amount of freight leaving Port Botany via rail each day, helping to reduce congestion on Sydney roads,” he says.
Pacific National director David Irwin says a new 650m port shuttle rail service is next on the company’s infrastructure agenda.
With a 90 TEU capacity, and the capability of running three times a day, six days a week, this will haul containers directly from the port to Chullora, where they can then be forwarded by either road or rail to destinations around the country.
“At the target capacity, we estimate this service would remove (up to) 100,000 truck journeys from roads between Port Botany and Sydney’s west each year, at the same time improving the overall efficiency and competitiveness of the NSW freight network,” he says.
The cranes and rail shuttle are one part of a planned $110 million investment program that will tie in to Asciano’s automated stevedoring operation at Port Botany – which is due to be unveiled next month.
The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has applauded the major upgrade, saying it will boost the logistics industry at both the state and national levels.
“One of the biggest impediments to improving the efficiency of our freight network is Sydney. When Sydney doesn’t work, Australia doesn’t work,” ALC managing director Michael Kilgariff says.
“Intermodal terminals are critical to boosting productivity and efficiency in the freight logistics industry, and the new rail-mounted gantry cranes will help the site manage the city’s future freight growth.”