The Solent Rail Terminal in the Port of Southampton has been operational for a year since a 17,5 million pound upgrade at the facility concluded. The first annual results suggest notable growth across rail and container operations, contributing to the modal shift.
One year on, the terminal reports a 23% increase in rail moves. Moreover, its 18-acre yard shows a 122% increase in lifts. The Solent Rail Terminal upgrade has also enabled a container handling increase of 125%. Now, it can process up to 180,000 containers a year.
“This project was driven by a need to shift cargo movement from road to rail and this newly expanded facility has not only achieved that but allows the capacity for further growth as intermodal rail freight continues to grow”, commented Mark Hooper, Director of Rail and Containers at terminal operator Solent Stevedores.
Improvements
The port’s ability to offer laden and empty container handling, storage, maintenance, and repair within a single-site boundary (the 18-acre yard) following the upgrade is a first for the Port of Southampton. As part of the upgrade, Solent Rail Terminal received an additional 12 acres of space. It also extended its rail loading pad by 130 metres. Its capacity to handle intermodal trains grew to 12, up from the previous 8.
In the first half year since the upgrade, the terminal reported that it handled more than 55,000 containers. They also said that the figures included a modal shift to rail, having taken approximately 16,000 lorries off the road during that time. A scheme managed by the port’s owners, DP World, helped to improve that performance. It aimed to encourage hauliers to opt for rail forwarding.