Economic evaluation of intermodal terminals and marshalling yards : Capacity4Rail WP2.3.5 EC, Contract No FP7- 605650

This report deals with the costs for investments, maintenance and operations for different terminal typologies with different capacity. The normal price for lifting containers and trailers in an intermodal terminal is often a market price, mostly taken operational costs into account. The total costs including capital costs for the investments in the track infrastructure is often not known because the basic investments has been made by the state long time ago. The aim of this project has been to make economic models for investments and operation of terminals and marshalling yards and to estimate the actual costs for different terminal typologies. By these models it is also possible to estimate costs for building new terminals and develop terminal types with different automation levels. Business economic calculations for conventional terminals, with reach-stackers and gantry cranes, show that the cost is in the range of 20-30 €/TEU, also a common market price for terminal handling. This includes both the operating costs and the capital costs for the technical equipment, which often the terminal operator is responsible for. The total cost including basic investments is in the range of 30-50 €/TEU, which is the long-term cost for building new terminals. Linear traffic makes it possible to have more terminals to cover a larger market. Horizontal transfer of loading units makes it possible to have terminals on an electrified siding so the train can make short stops on intermediate stations. This means that there will be no need for shunting with diesel and parking of wagons and full automation of transfer of loading units will be possible. The total cost for a small-scale automatic linear terminal on an existing siding has been calculated to 14 €/TEU. The low cost for the linear terminal is mainly due to the absence of shunting engine and personnel meaning that it has a very high benefit/cost ratio. The operating cost for handling wagons at a marshalling yard in Sweden is about 15 € per wagon, but adding the maintenance cost for the infrastructure manager increases this to 50 € per wagon. The whole cost, including building the yard, for this example would be 100 € per wagon. Automation of terminals and terminal functions seems to be the most efficient way to reduce costs and increase benefits in future terminals. There are many ideas how to implement this, but not many of the systems are ready for market use today.QC 20220413