Port of Melbourne welcomes $3.1 billion in new Commonwealth Government commitments to deliver the $3.6 billion Melbourne Intermodal Terminal Package to accommodate future Inland Rail services and strengthen the national supply chain.

Both the Western and Beveridge freight terminals are critical over the long term to support economic growth and livability by moving more freight on rail.

With 37 percent of containers imported through the port destined for the outer western suburbs1 the Port supports the Western Intermodal Freight Terminal (WIFT) as the immediate priority. WIFT provides the most effective consolidation point for the majority of the Port’s international import and export containers that are located to the west and north of Melbourne, as the Port’s 2020 Container Logistics Chain Study found.

“The port has always acknowledged the long term need for two Intermodal terminals in the Melbourne metropolitan, however we believe the immediate priority should be WIFT,” Port of Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon said.

“WIFT creates the most opportunity to shift more freight onto rail in the short to medium term.”

“More than one-third of Australia’s container trade comes through the Port of Melbourne, and with container trade expected to triple over the next thirty years it’s critical we get more freight movements on rail in the future, so this commitment to our national supply chain infrastructure is very welcome,” Port Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon said.

Port of Melbourne supports the increased use of rail to move freight, as evidenced by its investment of more than $125m in the Port Rail Transformation Project (PRTP) as part of a suite of major initiatives to sustain the Port’s standing as a world-class port facility. The PRTP is designed to enhance existing and build new rail infrastructure within the port precinct to connect to metropolitan and regional intermodal freight terminals.

Port of Melbourne CEO Saul Cannon said the Port will continue to invest along with industry and government to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of the port supply chain.
“Inland Rail needs to connect efficiently with other freight infrastructure, including the Port of Melbourne and metropolitan and regional intermodal freight terminals,” Mr Cannon said. “Connection of Inland Rail to the Port of Melbourne, including a direct freight connection to Webb Dock, is essential if we’re going to meet the long term demands of consumers and business,” he said.