The Coda intermodal freight hub expansion was officially opened by the Minister of Transport Hon Simon Bridges today, unlocking a new transport network for the North Island.
Scott Brownlee, Chief Executive of Coda Group, the country’s leading freight management business, said based on cargo volumes, the Coda intermodal freight hub, Savill Drive in Auckland, will be one of the largest fully intermodal freight hubs in New Zealand, providing a consolidation point to bring together export, import and domestic cargo flows into one single location.
“Infrastructure investment and rail connectivity were key milestones required to increase capacity and services of the freight hub and the existing Coda rail offering between Auckland and Palmerston North. We now provide further opportunities for lower North Island exporters to access the two main ports in the North Island.
“The hub is an efficient supply chain ecosystem that will continue to remove waste from the North Island’s freight network. Each day we’ll see more than 300, 20-foot equivalent container loads of goods flow through the site, with products dispatched to supermarket shelves and retail stores or railed to port for export to markets around the world. The intermodal freight hub is a significant step in increasing the landside logistics capability required to consolidate cargo and service the larger ships now visiting New Zealand.
“By working together with our customers and partners, we’re delivering fresh, innovative supply chain solutions which will provide better matching of freight flows up and down the North Island and keep New Zealand businesses competitive,” he said.
KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy said the recent Kaikoura earthquake has demonstrated how connected New Zealand’s logistics partners need to be.
“We’re proud of the work we’re doing to achieve this and welcome strong strategic partnerships like the one we have with Coda. The facility not only means an increase in rail volumes, it is also helping change the way export and domestic volumes are flowing. This collaborative approach supports the growth of New Zealand businesses and in turn this brings significant benefits to the country.
“Helping to drive New Zealand’s growth is important to KiwiRail and this facility is a good example of how KiwiRail is offering transport operators the best landside logistics solution.”
The significance of the southbound rail link will enable the Coda intermodal freight hub to move south, by rail, the equivalent of 8,000 heavy vehicle trips of cargo annually. Each year this will save over 1.5 million litres of fuel and 4,000 tonnes of carbon emissions – equivalent to planting just over 100,000 tree seedlings, grown for 10 years*.
The Coda intermodal freight hub provides a full logistics solution which includes transport, product warehousing, cross-dock facilities, container loading and devanning, container storage, hire and a coastal shipping service moving up to 500 TEU per week to the South Island.
The new expansion includes a new 10,000 sqm intermodal yard, 4,950 sqm warehouse extension, 6,500 sqm freight canopy, two rail sidings and in 2017 an additional 7,500 sqm warehouse with additional freight canopy will be completed.
