The price of transporting logs to port falls on the forest proprietor, and Musson stated it represented a good portion of the harvesting value construction.
He stated rail was a extra environment friendly methodology of shifting logs.
The change to rail gives a buffer for instances when there’s a hold-up at Port Taranaki (in New Plymouth), as logs might be held rail-side.
This implies there is no such thing as a have to pause harvesting whereas the port clears.
The corporate manages 12 logging crews working across the Whanganui district and greater than 50 nationwide.
Musson stated there was potential to scale up the variety of logs carted by rail.
At the moment, the logs are transported with different cargo on the common freight service.
There’s a restrict on the rail capability accessible, with the eight truck and trailer masses becoming onto six rail wagons.
“In a few months, we hope to safe extra wagons so we will ship a logging prepare to the port in New Plymouth,” Musson stated.
“That’s 12 wagons of logs, weighing 530 tonnes.”
The brand new loading operation in Whanganui East was rebuilt on an present website in Eastown Rd, with Forest360 aiming to recoup its funding in three years.
Musson stated the setup value had been funded by Forest360, making it extra enticing to potential forest house owners.
Two key components within the rail vs highway financial equation are the gap to port and hilly terrain.
Musson stated the matrix wanted to be lengthy rail cartage and brief truck cartage (to the rail dealing with facility).
Forest360 has entry to a number of rail dealing with services round Whanganui, Manawatū and Wairarapa, and Musson stated many forests had been inside a 30km vary.
“It doesn’t make sense to cart logs by rail whether it is lower than 180km to port, and rail is extra environment friendly if there’s a geographical challenge just like the Remutakas.”
Musson stated forest house owners additionally appreciated the logs being off the roads.
“The most important profit to vans being off the highway shall be to the folks dwelling and driving by means of the primary arterial routes in Whanganui, Pātea, Hāwera, Normanby, Eltham, Stratford, Midhirst, Inglewood, Egmont Village, and New Plymouth.”
The reconfigured rail dealing with facility has a brand new and modified 20-foot container weighbridge, equipped and outfitted by Container Area NZ.
The brand new delivery container workshop workplace is safe, with two separate compartments for an workplace and the weighbridge, and has Wi-Fi and air-con.
“Container Area NZ transported the modified 20-foot delivery container to our Whanganui location, after which HIAB-ed it into place,” Musson stated.
Musson stated the brand new rail yard provided provide chain efficiencies and created work for native companies.
“It’s simply one other optimistic forestry story.”
