Starting a new thread on this specific investment as I believe it is far wider than the idea of a port shuttle service.

SCT is in my view being very very strategic here and Geoff Smith is a clever man.  The idea of partnering with an organisation which moves 1.2m TEU per annum is a very smart move.

He said the development provided direct port connectivity to regional Victoria, with increased volumes flowing from SCT's Horsham and Wodonga sites to the Port of Melbourne.

I am wondering when Mildura will start?

They also state they are national.

Joint rail venture to move additional 300,000 tonnes of roads

Do you mean that they are going to load 300,000 tonnes of roads onto rail vehicles and shift them, or do you mean "JOINT RAIL VENTURE TO MOVE 300,000 TONNES OFF ROADS"

Remember that it is English and Grammar.

There's 'off', the correct wording and 'of', the incorrect word in this title. Please correct to 'off' accordingly.

M.

There's 'off', the correct wording and 'of', the incorrect word in this title. Please correct to 'off' accordingly.

M.

To be fair, the original source article has it wrong, that's where it came from.

https://www.stockandland.com.au/story/6845255/sct-joint-venture-to-further-open-up-pom-rail-access/?cs=4786

Let's focus on what this all means.  With operations at Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth and a logistics centre being established at Altona with SCT rail access it is looking like a great partnership in the making.

Where exactly is the Altona facility located?

Is this about an increase rail share into the port from outer Melbourne terminals?  Im not clear exactly...

Is this about an increase rail share into the port from outer Melbourne terminals?  Im not clear exactly...

I think the opportunity is in two parts:

1. Transfer of goods from the Altona Facility to the Port and vv.
2. Goods from around the country or Victoria for delivery into the Altona Centre.

The press release seems a bit vague as to what actually is happening. A new facility is being developed at Altona but what will the operation be for?

The Horsham train is already running directly to Appleton Dock now (which is controlled by ACFS) and gets unloaded to be trucked into either Wharf.

Also I'm skeptical about the cost benefits of the whole port shuttle idea. Why pay to have a truck deliver your container to a terminal in one of the catchment areas to be loaded onto and travel on a train which is an added cost with both lifts and actual transport as opposed to having the truck deliver direct to the wharf (less moving parts). You only get the cost-benefit of rail when it's over a long-distance hence why Mildura, Warnambool, Horsham, Griffith, Maryvale etc etc have trains running.

The same goes for import containers. In my short stint as a fleet controller a lot of the times you'd have your truck run to the wharf with the side loader to pick a container up then they'd go straight to the customer and drop it off. You wouldn't get that type of service if you had to put it on a train then the train would have to arrive at the terminal then wait for it to be stripped to get access to said container.

Hopefully the follow up press releases have more info.

The press release seems a bit vague as to what actually is happening. A new facility is being developed at Altona but what will the operation be for?

The Horsham train is already running directly to Appleton Dock now (which is controlled by ACFS) and gets unloaded to be trucked into either Wharf.

Also I'm skeptical about the cost benefits of the whole port shuttle idea. Why pay to have a truck deliver your container to a terminal in one of the catchment areas to be loaded onto and travel on a train which is an added cost with both lifts and actual transport as opposed to having the truck deliver direct to the wharf (less moving parts). You only get the cost-benefit of rail when it's over a long-distance hence why Mildura, Warnambool, Horsham, Griffith, Maryvale etc etc have trains running.

The same goes for import containers. In my short stint as a fleet controller a lot of the times you'd have your truck run to the wharf with the side loader to pick a container up then they'd go straight to the customer and drop it off. You wouldn't get that type of service if you had to put it on a train then the train would have to arrive at the terminal then wait for it to be stripped to get access to said container.

Hopefully the follow up press releases have more info.

The volume of trucks going from the ACFS facilities in Altone to Port might answer the question there.

shogun 427  wrote  in part.  "Also I'm skeptical about the cost benefits of the whole port shuttle idea. Why pay to have a truck deliver your container to a terminal in one of the catchment areas to be loaded onto and travel on a train which is an added cost with both lifts and actual transport as opposed to having the truck deliver direct to the wharf (less moving parts). You only get the cost-benefit of rail when it's over a long-distance hence why Mildura, Warnambool, Horsham, Griffith, Maryvale etc etc have trains running".


I only read Railpage as well as several train magazines and I pay attention to Government announcements. I do not have inside information just a pro-rail attitude.
Shogun427 observations maybe correct!

HOWEVER

Currently Minto and Enfield Container Depots run Port Shuttles.
Soon there will be similar facilities at Moorebank and St Mary's.
All of these are close to the Port Botany Container wharf's and Shogun427 truck theory and costing does not seem to apply.
I therefore cannot understand if Private Companies can run I assume profitable trip trains in the Sydney area why cannot Victoria. Give or take a few kilometres the distances would be similar.

shogun 427  wrote  in part.  "Also I'm skeptical about the cost benefits of the whole port shuttle idea. Why pay to have a truck deliver your container to a terminal in one of the catchment areas to be loaded onto and travel on a train which is an added cost with both lifts and actual transport as opposed to having the truck deliver direct to the wharf (less moving parts). You only get the cost-benefit of rail when it's over a long-distance hence why Mildura, Warnambool, Horsham, Griffith, Maryvale etc etc have trains running".


I only read Railpage as well as several train magazines and I pay attention to Government announcements. I do not have inside information just a pro-rail attitude.
Shogun427 observations maybe correct!

HOWEVER

Currently Minto and Enfield Container Depots run Port Shuttles.
Soon there will be similar facilities at Moorebank and St Mary's.
All of these are close to the Port Botany Container wharf's and Shogun427 truck theory and costing does not seem to apply.
I therefore cannot understand if Private Companies can run I assume profitable trip trains in the Sydney area why cannot Victoria. Give or take a few kilometres the distances would be similar.

Don't get me wrong i'm pro-rail. Just trying to picture the operation.

Sydney's port is better set up for rail than Melbourne which is why Sydney may be doing a better job of it. If ACFS and SCT are sending trains into DP World to drop off and pick up containers for their own customers then that makes the most sense as opposed to outside carriers dropping containers off to be delivered and picked up on their behalf (like how Toll, Linfox, Rand etc send their freight on PN or SCT trains).

Wonder if this will have any repercussions for the ACFS / PN deal lined up for St Mary's. If not ACFS has positioned themselves very well.