Rail project to bolster Victoria’s intermodal transport industry

The Victorian Transport Association has welcomed progress on the Port Rail Transformation Project at the Port of Melbourne.

This follows the Victorian Government’s announcement of $125 million next stage of works.

Under the package unveiled by Victorian ports and freight minister Melissa Horne, a new Coode Road on-dock rail terminal connecting with the Swanson Dock East International Container Terminal will be constructed, including two new rail sidings that can each accommodate freight trains.

A new road will also be constructed to allow better movement of shipping containers and provide an east-west link within the Swanson Dock Precinct so trucks will no longer need to exit to Footscray Road.

Other works include improvements to the Swanson common user rail sidings to cater for 600-metre-long freight trains and a new rail connection linking the Swanson and Appleton lead tracks, allowing greater flexibility for trains to move within the port precinct.

“The government is to be commended for seeing through its commitments to improve rail freight connections within the Port of Melbourne precinct, which will create greater efficiencies and productivity gains for road, rail and sea freight operators,” said Peter Anderson, CEO at VTA.

“This project is not about reducing the work load for road freight operators; it’s about creating a more efficient intermodal transport system that has benefits for operators right throughout the supply chain,” Anderson said.

“Every investment that creates opportunities to increase our freight capacity means more work for road freight operators because as I’ve always said, ships, planes and trains carry freight but only trucks can deliver,” he said.

The port rail project will free up road freight operators to take on work that has better margins, and at the same time reduce congestion at the port gate for heavy vehicles moving in and out of the precinct.”

Construction crews have prepared underground services and drainage, along with foundation works for the new rail tracks and associated rail infrastructure.

On completion, the project is set to result in major rail supply-chain efficiencies benefiting producers, transport operators and exporters servicing the Port of Melbourne.

On-dock rail is part of the Victorian and Commonwealth governments’ $58 million Port Rail Shuttle Network (PRSN) which will provide direct rail connections from the Port of Melbourne to major freight hubs in Melbourne’s north, west and south-east.

The project is scheduled for completion in mid-2023.

Source: VTA