P&amp&semicolan#38&semicolanO starts own Melbourne-Adelaide link with ARG

<p>P&#38O Ports has launched its own dedicated rail link between Melbourne and Adelaide, replacing shared slots on Pacific National’s daily service. </p> <p>Australian Railroad Group will provide rail haul for P&#38O Ports’s new service, and it will run six times a week in both directions, with the first train today. </p> <p>Terminals will be at P&#38O TransAustralia’s West Swanson Terminal and Kerry Logistics at Gillman in Adelaide. Plans are also being assessed to extend the service through to P&#38O Ports’s new Somerton terminal in Melbourne’s north.</p> <p>The new service will create a significant capacity increase between Melbourne and Adelaide, P&#38O Ports said, with space available for Melbourne cargo moving north to Darwin.</p> <p>P&#38O Ports announced the new Somerton terminal lease from Austrak last week, opening the way for entry into interstate domestic cargo to Sydney, as well as port shuttle movements in Melbourne. </p> <p>Meanwhile, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is still examining Patrick’s bid for Melbourne-based rail and road container operator and forwarder FCL. </p> <p>Patrick managing director Chris Corrigan said that he did not believe that the deal would affect the chances of another long-haul rail operator emerging. </p> <p>ANL may be concerned, because FCL uses the line to ship over the Bass Strait, he said. </p> <p>However, Mr Corrigan suggested that in the highly competitive Tasmanian market, ANL’s Bell Bay call may still be more advantageous for FCL’s particular traffic flow than rival Patrick services. </p> <br />