Strong growth in TasRail’s containerised freight volumes shows the State’s economy is gaining ground under the majority Hodgman Liberal Government.
A Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the Government business today heard that TasRail set a new weekly record during November for Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) moved on rail.
The largest volume of containers moved in TasRail’s six-year history, the week saw 1104 TEUs railed, a significant increase on the previous record of 1007, which was set only two weeks earlier in October.
This compares well with the same period last year, when TasRail reported moving an average of 600-700 TEUs a week.
The strong volumes demonstrate a new confidence in the reliability of the Tasmanian rail network and of the enhanced capabilities of TasRail.
The reopening of the Devonport Rail Terminal in June and the recent start-up of operations at the newly constructed George Town Rail Freight Terminal have contributed to the positive result.
Expected to also facilitate an increased use of rail in Tasmania is the completion of the $12 million Burnie Port Optimisation Project, which has enhanced the productivity of our largest general cargo port.
In an equal partnership with the Commonwealth, the Liberal Government is investing in renewing the State’s rail infrastructure through the $119.6 million Tasmanian Freight Rail Revitalisation Project.
Only last fortnight TasRail awarded the largest single tender on the project to VEC Civil Engineering, a Tasmanian company.
Last week, meanwhile, we launched the draft Tasmanian Integrated Freight Strategy, which is aimed at delivering a more efficient freight system to support economic growth and job creation.
Jobs are the Liberal Government’s number one priority, and we are pleased TasRail is playing an increasingly important role in supporting the economic growth that creates more employment.