THE NEW Kenwick Intermodal Terminal just outside Perth will support the movement of up to 200,000 shipping containers each year.
Funded by the Australian and Western Australian governments, each contributing $5 million, along with $15 million from Arc Infrastructure, the terminal marks another step in readiness for the move of Fremantle’s container port to the future Westport in Kwinana.
A media release from federal minister for infrastructure, Catherine King, said with the opening of the Kenwick terminal, the number of truck journeys will be reduced and road congestion eased.
Around 200,000 containers will move annually by rail between Fremantle Port, the future Westport and Kenwick, meaning an estimated drop in truck journeys by 135,000 a year.
The release also claims the terminal will also boost freight productivity and supply chain efficiency.
Located within Arc Infrastructure’s rail freight facility, the terminal allows the safe and efficient transfer of container freight between rail and road by connecting to the Roe Highway Logistics Park, industrial warehouse precincts and major road freight routes.
The State Government wants to move 20% of container freight to rail and all fully loaded containers that move between Kenwick IMT and the Port of Fremantle are eligible for the State Government’s $50 per 20-foot equivalent unit container rail subsidy.
WA Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said Westport planning has shown that containerised freight will grow significantly in the coming decades and the Kenwick IMT gives a welcome capacity injection into the network.
“Together with other hubs in Kewdale and Forrestfield, it is an important part of our landside logistics that will complement a world-leading and sustainable port in Kwinana,” Minister Saffioti said.
“Hundreds of thousands of shipping containers can be moved via rail through this facility, freeing up our road network and establishing a logistics hub to support our state’s long-term freight transport needs.”
