AusRAIL, Market Sectors

El Zorro strikes at last with track access and P&amp&semicolan#38&semicolanO Ports deal

<p>Consolidation is the key word for Victorian rail freight minnow El Zorro, now that it has gained track access in the state and a port container transport deal to Somerton for P&#38O Ports, director Geoff Tighe told <em>Lloyd’s List DCN</em> today (Tuesday, December 5).</p> <p>&#8220We do see a number of opportunities and we will focus on making sure that we can do them because that is the most important thing,&#8221 Mr Tighe said.</p> <p>&#8220I think we are far better off aiming surely than aiming high and wide.&#8221</p> <p>El Zorro joins SSR as only the second rail firm to have taken advantage of the state’s new open-access system.</p> <p>The P&#38O Ports deal will see El Zorro provide three container services weekly to the Somerton Intermodal Terminal.</p> <p>Mr Tighe said the short-term focus was to expand that to at least six, to use longer trains, then increase to three cycles daily.</p> <p>Now it has Victorian track access, El Zorro is researching niches it can fill and companies worth approaching. </p> <p>The company was established in 1999 and employs 33 staff, ranging in age from mid-20s to late-60s. </p> <p>Its head office is in Spotswood in Melbourne and it has three locomotives along with rolling stock. </p> <p>El Zorro operates the southern leg of the QR train from Junee to Melbourne and provides train crewing services to Pacific National. </p> <p>It also provides track maintenance services. </p> <br />