New inland port for Melbourne

News 8 Sep 2016 by WCN Editorial

DP World Australia and Austrak have announced a new inland port development that will link Melbourne to Somerton by rail.

𝕏

DP World Australia has agreed to plans with Austrak to make its intermodal freight hub at Somerton, 23km north of Melbourne, an inland port. Austrak is a privately owned property development and investment company that has developed an industrial business park at Somerton.

DP World Australia will operate a new inland freight hub known as Somerton Rail Port, that will be connected directly by rail shuttle to the Port of Melbourne. Initial capacity is 200,000 TEU per annum, expandable over time to 400,000 TEU.

“As a full customs bonded port for both import and export containers, Somerton can be offered as a port of origin and destination by shipping companies,” said Brian Gillespie, Chief Commercial Officer for DP World Australia. “A rail shuttle service running between Somerton and Port of Melbourne will provide a rapid turn-around service for imports and regional rail exports.

“We will increase freight transport options for local importers — and particularly regional exporters — by handling longer length regional train services which struggle to get access to inner city rail terminals,” Mr Gillespie said.

At the Port of Melbourne, DP World has overcome opposition from the trucking community to its plan to close part of an access road so it can expand its rail operation. “With the planned closure of Coode Road next year, Somerton will have rail shuttle access to an on-dock rail connection, which significantly increases the effective capacity of our West Swanson container terminal,” Gillespie said.

Commenting for Austrak, Clarenzo Perna, National Development Manager, said it has long been the company’s vision to fully develop the Somerton intermodal freight facility. “I am excited about this latest project, which uses the combined expertise and assets of DP World Australia and Austrak.

“The Somerton Rail Port will create new efficiencies and competition in the import-export (IMEX) supply chain. The rail shuttle will immediately remove around 100,000 plus truck movements from the roads of inner city Melbourne each year.

“We expect Somerton Rail Port to become a regional freight hub, and an extension of the container handling terminal at Port of Melbourne,” Perna said.

The Somerton Rail Port is planned to start operation in December 2016.