There is a new player in bulk rail haulage to the Australian mining industry.
Specialised Bulk Rail Pty Ltd (SBR) is the brainchild of Peter Smith, owner and founder of SCT Logistics, a private rail company that has successfully operated on the east-west rail corridor in the FMCG market for the past 35 years.
SBR will officially enter the bulk rail market in Australia with the commencement of iron ore rail haulage for IMX Resources in South Australia in mid-October 2010. Rail services at the Cairn Hill mine, 55 kilometres south-east of Coober Pedy, South Australia will see the first of two, 8,000-tonne trains commence the 900-kilometre journey to Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide in October 2010. SBR has the capability of moving up to 2 million tonnes of iron ore per annum.
“It is an exciting development for our company,” said Geoff Smith, CEO of SBR “We genuinely feel that the Australian mining industry will welcome increased competition into the bulk rail haulage sector and appreciate the fresh approach that we will bring to the market.
“SBR’s people have a wealth of rail knowledge from decades of experience in the rail industry. We have no doubt that we will bring to the table creativity and innovation particularly through design and implementation of the latest technological advancements in locomotives and rolling stock.”
SBR will operate its 4500hp locomotives on biodiesel. This fuel type, “in line with the company’s state-of-the-art fuel management system will make SBR the first organisation in Australia to demonstrate what can be achieved today by utilising an alternative fuel blend that has been supplied by Logicoil.”
The IMX contract is estimated to generate in excess of $150 million in revenue for SBR as part of stage one, growing to $300 million with the roll-out of stage two.