Metropolitan Intermodal System - Market Sounding
The Department of Transport is developing a proposal for a Metropolitan Intermodal System (MIS) to improve the efficiency of containerised freight movements between the Port of Melbourne and intermodal terminals in the city’s west, north and south east metropolitan areas.
The MIS is being designed with the objective of reducing bottlenecks and traffic congestion around Melbourne’s port precinct. The design objective is to connect the port to an integrated system of metropolitan intermodal terminals via an efficient coordinated train and truck service, using the existing network. The terminals are expected to be located in major logistics precincts.
As part of this proposal the department undertook a market sounding exercise to identify interest from freight and logistics suppliers in potentially investing in and/or operating services associated with the MIS.
This market sounding process sought interest in four key areas:
- market interest as suppliers to a MIS pilot/trial
- market interest as suppliers in an ongoing MIS
- market interest in providing the range of possible sites for future terminals
- views on commercial sustainability.
Submissions for the market sounding process closed on 26 September 2011 and are now being reviewed.