Rail works to improve Fremantle Port - Ports And Shipping

Business Asia, Feb, 2003

Fremantle Port has been working on a strategy to facilitate the greater use of rail for land-based container freight movements in and out of the Inner Harbour.

Two important components of the rail strategy are the construction of a new rail loop into North Quay and a new rail terminal to service the container terminals. The new rail loop will be needed before the redevelopment of the Leighton Marshalling Yards, while the new rail terminal will accommodate longer container trains, improving the efficiency of the rail service.

A recent release from the port says that "increased use of rail for transporting containers to and from the Inner Harbour is an important part of Fremantle Ports' forward planning for long term sustainability".

Priority

The need to increase the use of rail to and from Fremantle Port's Inner Harbour has also been recognised as a priority in the Metropolitan Freight Network Review, which was initiated by Western Australian Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, Alannah MacTieman.

Currently, about 97 per cent of all containers handled through the Inner Harbour at Fremantle are moved by road and only about three per cent by rail. To help reduce the growth of port-related truck traffic on access roads to the port as trade grows, the Freight Network Review target is to increase the rail share for containers to 15 per cent for the medium term and 30 per cent for the longer term. Research carried out into the commerciality of rail services to North Quay has concluded that this goal is achievable.

Improve efficiency

The fact that the new rail terminal will accommodate longer container trains than it currently does will improve the efficiency of the rail service, and both the rail terminal and the loop will accommodate dual gauge, enabling trains from regional areas to directly access the Inner Harbour.

A third component of the rail strategy is the letting of a contract to operate the North Quay rail terminal, which is linked to increased use of rail services. Toll SPD and Patrick Corporation Ltd have been selected as the preferred proponent to manage and operate the North Quay rail terminal.

The Fremantle Port release said an agreement is being negotiated with Toll SPD/Patrick to achieve an early increase in the volume of containers carried by rail, with further increases expected in the future. Toll/Patrick will also have an Operating Agreement with P&O Ports for joint operation of the terminal. Planning for the new North Quay rail installations is being progressed as a priority, with the aim of completing the rail loop and stage one of the rail terminal by the end of 2004.