Australia’s largest stevedore, DP World Australia, has agreed to plans with Austrak to further develop Austrak’s intermodal freight hub at Somerton.
DP World Australia will operate the new inland freight hub known as Somerton Rail Port, 23km north of the Port of Melbourne and Melbourne CBD. The facility will be fully customs bonded and will connect Somerton directly by shuttle to the Port of Melbourne.
According to DP World, the facility has direct road access to the Hume Highway and Somerton Road, and rail connections to the Port of Melbourne, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales.
Brian Gillespie, Chief Commercial Officer for DP World Australia, said the new facility at Somerton would have the capacity to handle 200,000 TEU per annum.
“As a full customs bonded port for both import and export containers, Somerton can be offered as a port of origin and destination by shipping companies,” he explained. “We expect capacity will grow to 400,000 TEU over time.”
“We will increase freight transport options for local importers — and particularly regional exporters.”
Clarenzo Perna, National Development Manager at Austrak, said it has long been Austrak’s vision to fully develop the Somerton intermodal freight facility. “We expect Somerton Rail Port to become a regional freight hub, and an extension of the container handling terminal at Port of Melbourne.”
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