The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has welcomed Federal Labor’s election commitment to invest $175 million to duplicate the single-track line between Mascot and Port Botany.
“Duplicating the Port Botany rail line is critical to improving the overall efficiency of Sydney’s freight supply chains and is welcomed by the logistics industry,” said Michael Kilgariff, ALC Managing Director.
Getting more freight on to rail in Sydney is critical to addressing Sydney’s rising congestion issues and will support the NSW Government’s vision to double the amount of freight moving to and from Port Botany by rail, which currently sits at around 16% and NSW Ports’ target to move 3 million TEU by rail over the longer term.
“Improving rail connections are also fundamental to meeting expected container growth at Port Botany, where volumes are expected to triple over the next 30 years.
“An efficient rail freight connection to Botany will also underpin improved efficiencies in the supply chain which a number of planned intermodal facilities in Sydney will help to deliver,” he said.
“There has been considerable progress over past 12 months to develop a number of intermodal projects in Sydney, which will transform how freight is moved to and from Port Botany.
“These include the Qube/Aurizon Moorebank Intermodal Terminal project, Asciano’s proposed ‘constellation hub’ strategy for Sydney, a proposal by DP World and Toll to connect a container staging zone at Port Botany to an intermodal freight terminal at Villawood and last week’s commencement of operations at NSW Ports’ Enfield Intermodal Logistics Centre by Aurizon.
“Ensuring there is appropriate capacity on the Port Botany rail freight line is critical to maximising the economic potential of these major logistics projects,” he said.
Mr Kilgariff said improving rail access to Australia’s major ports, as well as their linkages to key inland intermodal facilities, was one of the key recommendations from the recent ALC Annual Forum.
