INRD, CN mark intermodal milestones
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-ChiefThe Indiana Rail Road Co. (INRD) and CN on Sept. 8 announced two key developments affecting their international intermodal service partnership.
According to Eric Powell, INRD Manager, Business Development, “the long-awaited increase in capacity at Prince Rupert (B.C.)—one of our strategic gateways to/from Asia on Canada’s West Coast—is now available. The Port of Prince Rupert can now handle almost 1.4M TEUs per year, double the capacity of just a year ago, thanks to the addition of a second ship berth, four Super Post-Panamax cranes and on-dock rail. For [our customers], this means the same fast, reliable Asian service with room to grow and, soon, more ocean service options.”
INRD was represented at ceremonies marking completion of construction at Prince Rupert on Aug. 28-29. “At the same time, we learned plans have already been drawn up for a third phase of expansion: a third berth with another 700K in container capacity, and several more CN tracks added to the dock,” Powell noted. “Prince Rupert is the closest North American port to Asia, with an ice-free, deep-water harbor that can handle ships of any size.”
There have been construction-related dwells at Prince Rupert this spring and summer, but CN and the Port “expect to get back to average dwells of less than 48 hours as soon as possible,” Powell said.
On the INRD end of the intermodal service, lights and a second crane are coming to the Indianapolis ramp. “Our Indiana intermodal business to/from Asia and Europe has grown an average of 37% year-over-year since we opened in 2013,” Powell said. “It’s time to expand our operating capacity, and we’re doing that with new stadium lights and a second container lift cran) at the Senate Avenue Intermodal Terminal this fall. Lights are set to be operational no later than Nov. 15; the Taylor-made crane, similar to the workhorse we’re currently using, should be ready at the same time.”
