Ian Ackerman – Sydney
Construction has begun on Ports of Auckland’s new inland port at Horotiu, just north of Hamilton.
The Waikato Freight Hub will have rail and road connections to New Zealand’s two largest ports, the lower North Island and three of the country’s five largest cities.
The new hub is also to be connected by rail to existing intermodal hubs at Wiri (in South Auckland), Mount Maunganui (Tauranga) and Longburn, Manawatu (near Palmerston North).
The first freight handling facilities are expected to be operational by late 2017 or early 2018, once road and rail connections are built.
The hub, to be built on a 33-hectare site, is to be developed with sustainability in mind. It will feature native plants that provide habitat for long-tailed bats, copper skinks, and various birds.
The development is also to feature energy efficient technology and solar power where practical.
This story originally appeared on Rail Express affiliate site Lloyd’s List Australia.