Bathurst Rail Intermodal Terminal reopens with hopes of attracting additional cargo types
Asciano has put Bathurst back on its intermodal map with a supply chain deal for forestry services firm PF Olsen Australia.
The three-year contract brings subsidiaries Pacific National and C3 to bear on an integrated logistics services contract to handle and haul 175,000 tonnes of export logs annually from Bathurst to Port Botany, with Patrick Terminals and Logistics expected to stevedore parts of the freight.
The town has endured something of a roller-coaster ride with its intermodal terminal, with it opening and closing over the past seven years.
“We are pleased that the contract will enable us to re-establish our rail intermodal terminal in Bathurst, and are hopeful that this new contract will help spur additional growth in rail volume in the area,” Bob Parton, Pacific National’s service delivery manager for the Bathurst region, says.
“Bathurst well located to manage and process increasing coal volumes from Lithgow along with growth in containerised imports and exports servicing inner-western NSW.”
Bathurst-based employees will handle and prepare the timber for transfer from the Bathurst Rail Intermodal Terminal (BRIT), while Pacific National will start three new rail services weekly, travelling to Port Botany via Lithgow, Clyde and Enfield in Sydney.
Asciano sees the deal as underlining its end-to-end logistics capabilities.
“The new contract will streamline the logistics process for PF Olsen, with the export cargo remaining in Asciano hands from delivery in Bathurst until it is safely on a ship ready to be exported from Port Botany.” C3 Australia general manager Andrew Wiggill says