NSW Ports will invest in ‘on-dock’ rail infrastructure capacity at each of the three container terminals at Port Botany, starting in 2019. The Investment will be in stages, while stevedores will need to invest in rail operating equipment to meet target terminal capacities.
Namely, the rail infrastructure will begin in 2019 and is expected to be ready to operate by 2023. Yet, rail operations at Patrick are set to continue during the period of construction. NSW Ports will invest $120 million on Stage one to create new on-dock rail capacity at Patrick’s Port Botany Terminal. The new rail terminal will ultimately deliver 1 million TEU capacity.
The rail system aims to decrease the truck movement that happens around the port. When the project is finished, it is set to lessen trucks’ kilometres travelling in Sydney by more than 10 millions annually. The ‘in-dock’ investment will save more than 2 million litres of diesel per year, which is similar to a net decrease in CO2 emissions of more than 5,400 tonnes a year.
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Moreover, NSW Ports are to apply a slight increase of $3.08 per TEU in wharfage fees on full imports and exports from 1 July 2019, in order to be able to fund the ‘in-dock’ investment. This is a long term goal in order to reduce the wharfage rise. Yet, the increase in fees will be removed when the cost of the investment has been reached.
According to Marika Calfas, Chief Executive Officer, NSW Ports, the ‘in-dock’ investment will result to a faster, cheaper and more sustainable method of exporters and importers to move their product in the market. She continued stating that the investment will construct a better rail capability at the port.
