CONTAINER traffic from the Port of Fremantle by rail has jumped 20% in the year since the Kenwick Intermodal Terminal on the outskirts of the Perth metropolitan area was opened.
A media release from the Arc Infrastructure-owned, Intermodal Group-operated, Kenwick Intermodal Terminal (IMT), said the terminal had transformed the Perth metropolitan freight network in just 12 months.
The release said the Kenwick IMT has had an immediate impact on the capacity to move containers through Fremantle Port, with rail modal share consistently at or above 20% since the terminal started operations and is continuing an upward trajectory.
The modal shift to rail is further supported by a state government rail subsidy for each container transported from the port.
During 2024–2025, 208,699 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) were transported by rail from Fremantle Port, the highest annual amount recorded since the introduction of the container rail subsidy in 2007.
According to the state government, around 141,000 one-way truck movements are estimated to have been removed from roads during 2024-25, easing pressure on road networks and improving efficiency, sustainability and road safety.
State and federal government contributed $10 million towards the $25 million project, with Arc funding the remaining $15 million.
Arc Infrastructure CEO Stephanie Unwin said the Kenwick IMT project was a great example of positive collaboration with Government to achieve common goals.
“Prior to the Kenwick IMT, constrained inland IMT capacity effectively capped rail share of import and export containers at 20% compared to road transport,” Ms Unwin said.
“In just 12 months since the Kenwick IMT opened, we’ve seen rail modal share grow consistently higher and creep towards 30%.
“We know increasing the volume of freight on rail is beneficial for all – it improves efficiency and safety, taking more trucks off roads and reducing traffic congestion and ensures a more resilient supply chain, ultimately supporting the Western Australian economy,” she said.
The Kenwick IMT has a throughput capacity of more than 200,000 TEUs with additional capacity for an empty container park.
Intermodal Group Vice President Adam Lebihan said the group was proud of what has been achieved since operations at the terminal began.
“We are continuing to see volumes grow each month from Kenwick and our total containers moved through the terminal has been exceptional for our first year of operations. The Kenwick IMT is now a vital part of the freight transport network in Perth and will only continue to grow in the coming years,” Mr Lebihan said.