AUSTRALIAN rail operator Aurizon has launched a new container service between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Aurizon will operate the weekly return service on the east coast corridor under its 11-year contract with Team Global Express.
The service will originate in Melbourne on Wednesday; connect through Glenlee terminal in Sydney’s west near Campbelltown on Thursday; and continue through to the Brisbane multimodal terminal at the Port of Brisbane for a Friday arrival.
Aurizon group executive containerised freight Gareth Long said he was delighted with growing interest and inquiries for the linehaul services.
“We’ve just completed a national round of business briefings (Melbourne, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane) where our team shared with freight industry leaders details on Aurizon’s service offering and the investment we’re making in new wagons, rollingstock and portside services,” he said.
“While our key focus has been on ensuring we deliver the capacity and reliability for TGE on these new services, we will continue to onboard additional customers as our capacity ramps up into the New Year.”
Mr Long said growing capacity on the linehaul routes would enable Aurizon to offer more options and flexibility for inter-city transport requirements.
“We are looking forward to increased activity for our business, as investments that we are making in new rollingstock, terminal and port equipment are progressively commissioned to support existing and new customers.”
The service aims to cater to a range of containerised freight, including local manufactured goods and produce together with import and export traffic, in a port-rail-terminal-rail-port service.
To coincide with the new service, Aurizon has secured a long-term lease at the Glenlee terminal which has direct access to the north-south rail corridor and proximity to major arterial roads and Hume Highway.
The Melbourne-Sydney-Brisbane linehaul service is the third linehaul interstate service implemented by Aurizon’s containerised freight business, following the commencement of two Melbourne-Perth services in April and July.
