Intermodal Terminal Company says its investment in the Somerton Intermodal Terminal will complement Port of Melbourne’s $125 million Port Rail Transformation Project and the Victorian Government’s Port Rail Shuttle Network.
The Port Rail Shuttle Network will develop or upgrade rail connections and metropolitan intermodal terminals in key industrial areas, including Somerton. The Port of Melbourne says mode shift from road to rail transport will be key for sustainability reasons as well as productivity benefits. The port believes moving freight by rail is better for the climate, it is better in terms of safety, taking trucks off local roads and reducing congestion.
Moving freight by rail can move far more containers in a single trip than trucks can, the group says. For example, a 600-meter-long train can carry 84 containers compared with a B-Double truck which has an average capacity of three containers.