NATIONAL Intermodal Corporation has acquired the 1100-hectare site at Beveridge to build a colossal intermodal terminal at the southern end-point of the Inland Rail project.
The government-owned corporation announced it would exercise the option to purchase the land in March.
The acquisition follows the release of the Inland Rail Review in April this year, which endorsed the Beveridge site as the southern end-point of Inland Rail and one of two new planned intermodal terminal precincts for Melbourne, with the other to be in Truganina, west of the city.
National Intermodal said the planned intermodal terminal has the potential to be twice as large as the Moorebank Intermodal Precinct in Sydney.
The company is aiming for a preliminary terminal to be available to receive trains by 2025. The fully integrated 500,000 TEU per year terminal is expected to be operational in 2028-29.
According to National Intermodal, the site will offer the efficiency of double-stacked container services for 1800-metre freight trains to Perth via Parkes, and to Brisbane, on completion of Inland Rail.
The company said the terminal would enhance competition in the rail freight sector by ensuring independent, open access arrangements for all industry participants and offer the ability to provide freight services across Melbourne and through to Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth.
National Intermodal is seeking further market interest for both customers and co-investors building on the recent MOU entered into with Aurizon to become a foundation customer.
National Intermodal CEO James Baulderstone said the development of a modern intermodal precinct in Melbourne’s north will continue the revitalisation of the rail freight sector.
“We recognise that development of the intermodal precincts at Beveridge and Truganina will be genuinely transformational for Victoria and particularly the surrounding communities, providing significant employment opportunities during the construction and operational phases, as well as being key catalysts for other local infrastructure investment,” Mr Baulderstone said.
“Modern intermodal precincts offer the potential to fundamentally change the emissions intensity of how freight is currently moved around metropolitan areas. Incorporating world leading renewable energy technologies, including the massive solar energy potential of large-scale industrial warehouse rooftops, provides the opportunity to create a true net-zero logistics hub.”
