Pacific National has launched two additional weekly containerised freight services on east-west routes to give customers greater access to linehaul capacity.

Australia’s largest private freight rail operator now offers two new return services between Sydney and Perth each week, in line with plans to significantly boost containerised volumes in its intermodal business.

The move comes as Pacific National aligns its growth plans with the surge in demand for containerised freight. This follows the re-opening of the Trans-Australian railway in February which connects the east and west coasts of Australia, after significant floods which closed the rail line on January 21.

The Omicron outbreak has yet again highlighted the unique benefits of hauling large volumes of goods and commodities safely over large distances by rail. The two new services form a significant part of an announced 10 per cent increase for the first half of 2022.

The first of the new services launched on March 16, while the second will begin operating a month later on April 24. Both Advancepriority (weekly reoccurring capacity) and Standreserve (ad-hoc casual) booking options will be offered to all customers, subject to availability.

Pacific National’s Chief Commercial Officer Andrew Thomson said as the country’s leading provider of containerised interstate rail haulage services, the company recognised the need to meet increased demand for this more sustainable alternative mode of transport.

“The increased capacity will allow us to continue to improve our service offering on these key freight lanes, to make Australian supply chains more efficient and give our customers more options to access rail capacity for their business,” he said.

The move comes as Pacific National looks to increase capacity for container movements on rail by more than a third in less than three years, compared to pre-pandemic levels.