Construction begins on $400m Somerton Intermodal Terminal

The first sod has been turned and major works are now underway on the $400 million Somerton Intermodal Terminal (SIT) in Melbourne’s north. 

Intermodal Terminal Company (ITC) is delivering the works on the freight terminal, which will not only remove thousands of trucks from suburban roads but also create jobs. 

“This is a fantastic announcement for our freight and logistics precinct and will create new jobs right here in Melbourne’s northern suburbs,” State Member for Greenvale Iwan Walters said. 

SIT is being built on a 45-hectare site at Austrak Business Park and it is set to become Australia’s largest intermodal terminal once up and running. 

When operational, the freight terminal will have the capacity to process more than one million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs). SIT is going to be the region’s closest terminal that can accommodate double-stacked 1,800-metre trains. 

Artist impression of the Somerton Intermodal Terminal (source: Intermodal Terminal Company)

SIT is also expected to take up to 500,000 trucks off Melbourne’s roads, which is equivalent to 45 million truck kilometres. In addition, it will save 451 million litres of fuel as well as reduce carbon emissions by 189,000 tonnes annually. 

The multi-million-dollar project is estimated to create approximately 190 jobs during its construction phase and support up to 50 permanent jobs for Victorians when the terminal is operational in 2025. 

“This investment in Melbourne’s north is great news for our community – supporting jobs on the ground, while also supporting our state’s busy freight industry,” State Member for Broadmeadows Kathleen Matthews-Ward said. 

The Somerton Intermodal Terminal is a key hub in the $58 million Port Rail Shuttle Network, and it is expected to increase efficiency and safety for producers, farmers, freight operators and exporters. 

The Port Rail Shuttle Network enables trucks to pick up or deliver containers from hubs in outer metropolitan Melbourne instead of driving to the Port of Melbourne. 

“The investment by the State and Federal Governments and the private sector into the Port Rail Shuttle Network, enables these major investments to occur which will put more freight onto rail, take trucks off local roads and support exporters,” Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne said. 

Source: Premier of Victoria – Media Centre; Intermodal Terminal Company; Rail Express