New €1.5 million Dublin Port Rail spur gives further boost to rail freight business

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A new rail spur in Dublin Port has been completed, set to enhance the competitiveness of rail freight for Dublin Port and Iarnród Éireann customers.

The expansion of the rail spur follows a €1.5 million investment made by the Dublin Port Company. The spur is 1.6 kilometres long, and the project took six months to complete.

The new rail spur facilitates access for rail freight to ship side at the Ocean Pier, eliminating the need for loading and unloading on Alexandra Road, and will improve the competitiveness of rail freight to/from Dublin Port.

The first customer of the new facility was IWT (international Warehousing and Transport), a privately owned Irish logistics company, and it is expected that the current IWT service will increase from 4 to 5 trains per week in each direction in the coming weeks as a result of this investment.

IWT believe that the service will save up to 5.5million road kilometres every year and will reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 2,750 tonnes.

The increased frequency in the service provides customers with a regular and reliable rail alternative delivering a superior product that will enhance Ireland’s contribution to the European Union’s modal shift aspirations from road to rail.

The project represents a true public private partnership between Dublin Port Company, Iarnród Éireann and IWT, and it is also open to other Shipping Companies or bulk carriers to avail of this new rail facility in Dublin Port.

Iarnród Éireann will seek new rail freight customers for train load point to point business. The Irish Exporters Association have welcomed the new development.

Iarnród Éireann Chief Executive Dick Fearn said:

“The expansion of the Dublin Port Rail Spur is an example of state agencies working together to improve the competitiveness of rail freight, and for the benefit of commercial customers.

“We in Iarnród Éireann will build on a resurgence in rail freight to seek to attract more freight customers to our services, highlighting the benefits this new spur will bring to the costs and competitiveness of transporting by rail, in addition to the environmental advantages.”

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