In a boost to the Northern Tasmanian economy, TasRail has awarded a major civil works contract to local company Hazell Bros.
The contract will see works start on the $7 million Bell Bay Intermodal Terminal Project within weeks.
The proposed terminal will be located in the heart of the major industrial precinct at Bell Bay, only 3.5 kilometres to the Port of Bell Bay by rail.
The Australian Government is providing $5.2 million for the project under the recently signed National Partnership Agreement with the Tasmanian Government, with the balance funded by the State.
TasRail Chief Executive Officer Damien White said the project was of strategic importance to Tasmania’s freight and transport system and would provide customers with the ability to securely store and freight goods in-and-out of the region.
“Importantly, the Bell Bay Intermodal Terminal will provide well-designed, multi-modal solutions and directly link major industrial customers with the rail network”, Mr White said. “It will give customers the option of either loading their freight direct to ships at the Northern Port or to rail their product from Bell Bay to other Tasmanian Ports”.
When completed, TasRail expects the Bell Bay Intermodal Terminal will help it to shift more container and log freight from road to rail transport. “More freight on rail means a more competitive freight market and fewer trucks on our roads”, Mr White said. “That should translate to lower freight prices for Tasmanian business and industry and safer roads for the community”.
TasRail has already completed design works for the project and secured the appropriate Development Applications from the George Town Council. The announcement today completes the tender process.
“Hazell Bros is a highly credentialed, local company that successfully tendered for the civil works contract, including construction of an access road for the proposed terminal”, Mr White said.
The Bell Bay Intermodal Terminal is expected to be completed by May 2015.
