ACCIONA has celebrated the arrival of the first train at the newly constructed Somerton Intermodal Terminal in Victoria in mid-November, marking a significant milestone in the delivery of this critical freight infrastructure.

The terminal, built for the Intermodal Terminal Company (ITC), is now officially operational and set to transform freight movement across Australia.

Robin Williams, Safety Manager, reflected on the project’s achievements during a celebration attended by ACCIONA, ITC, and subcontractor teams.

“This milestone is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of everyone involved,” Mr Williams said.

“From day one, safety and teamwork have been at the heart of our approach, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the terminal come to life.”

The inaugural train, a 600-metre-long freight service powered by two N-Class locomotives operated by Southern Shorthaul Rail (SSR), was welcomed by workers who had contributed to the project since the beginning.

The successful arrival signals the start of regular freight operations at the terminal.

The project’s scope was extensive, with the civil works including 3.6 kilometres of drainage, 3.5 kilometres of fire service, 60 kilometres of communications and signalling routes (CSR), 200 light poles, 56,300 cubic metres of concrete poured, and 80,000 cubic metres of excavated material.

On the rail side, the team installed 10,000 rail sleepers, laid 30,000 tonnes of ballast, and completed 21 kilometres of track.

Over 664,000 hours were worked without any lost time injuries or serious incidents, with 3,150 people inducted to site and 755 pieces of plant equipment brought in.

The site recorded 66,343 entries, underscoring the scale and complexity of the operation.

Ty Newman, Head of Rail, commended the team’s performance.

“It’s been a fantastic accomplishment by our team to create this state-of-the-art terminal,” Mr Newman said.

“This demonstrates our breadth of skill and expertise to deliver these complex projects safely without incident.”

The Somerton Intermodal Terminal is expected to deliver substantial benefits to the freight industry, the economy, and the broader community.

At full capacity, it will remove up to 500,000 truck trips from Melbourne’s roads annually, equivalent to 454 million truck kilometres, saving 451 million litres of fuel and reducing carbon emissions by 189,000 tonnes each year.

The successful commissioning of the terminal reinforces ACCIONA’s commitment to delivering sustainable, efficient infrastructure that supports Australia’s growing freight needs while contributing to safer roads and a lower carbon future.