Logistics News

Asciano unveils intermodal plan

A second terminal at St Mary’s is a key plank in the company’s plan to move more freight by rail

 

Asciano has announced plans for a new intermodal terminal at St Marys in western Sydney.

The new terminal will work alongside the existing terminal at Chullora as part of a new “constellation hub” approach to distribution of freight for the Sydney metropolitan market.

This will see Port Botany also linked to the planned Inland Rail project connecting Brisbane and Melbourne.

CEO John Mullen says the new strategy offers the best use of existing infrastructure to drive efficiency.

“Asciano believes in a multi-intermodal terminal approach to drive more freight onto rail from Port Botany, recognising that different Sydney freight catchments need different logistics solutions,” he says.

The strategy will be rolled out in three stages, starting with rail shuttle services between Port Botany and Chullora.

Stage Two involves the development of the St Marys intermodal terminal, while the final leg of the project will see the connection to the inland rail project.

Mullen says the new strategy will allow Asciano to handle more freight, more efficiently.

“Asciano is well-positioned to deliver an increase in freight arriving and departing Port Botany via rail,” he says.

“The ‘constellation hub’ strategy will minimise community impacts as well as capital investment by targeting existing freight precincts across Sydney.”

Announced this morning, the strategic plan has already been welcomed by the wider logistics industry.

Australian Logistics Council managing director Michael Kilgariff says it will offer a significant improvement to congestion around the port, with more containers to leave Port Botany on rail.

“Asciano’s announcement is the latest in a number of major funding commitments by Australia’s logistics industry to make the movement of freight between Port Botany and Sydney’s west more efficient,” Kilgariff says.

“Asciano’s ‘constellation hub’ approach … reflects industry’s commitment to invest in short-haul rail to drive efficiency and reduce congestion.”

Kilgariff called on both the federal and state governments to further enhance Asciano’s work through targeted infrastructure improvements.

“Given Australia’s rising freight task and increasing levels of congestion on major freight routes, I encourage all governments to continue to support the growth of intermodal terminals within their jurisdictions,” he says.

 

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