The Minister for Public Transport has announced the six companies who will receive funding as part of the Victorian Government’s Mode Shift Incentive Scheme (MSIS).
MSIS seeks to promote rail freight and alleviate congestion in and around the Port of Melbourne by providing incentives to move containerised freight from road to rail.
The companies which have received funding are:
- Tocumwal corridor: Patrick Container and Regional Port Enterprises;
- Horsham corridor: Wimmera Container Line and Qube Holdings;
- Warrnambool corridor: Wettenhalls; and,
- Mildura corridor: Iron Horse Intermodal
These six companies will shift close to 50,000 containers (the equivalent of 5,000 truck trips) into and out of Port Melbourne by rail instead of road. This is expected to significantly reduce truck movements on roads and highways in regional Victoria.
All containers moved on rail will be destined for the Port of Melbourne, Australia’s largest container port.
