The Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has awarded two major contracts for the A$400m Port Botany Rail Line Duplication and Cabramatta Loop project, designed to increase rail freight capacity in and out of Sydney’s biggest port.

John Holland won the design-and-construct contract for the Botany Rail Duplication, and Fulton Hogan won the Cabramatta Loop.

“The project will help meet future demand at Port Botany, where the freight task is predicted to increase by 77% by 2036,” said ARTC chief executive Mark Campbell.

John Holland will duplicate the remaining 2.9km section of single-line track between Mascot and Botany.

Fulton Hogan will build the Cabramatta Loop, a 1.65km section of track that will let very long freight trains – up to 1.3km in length – pass each other on the Southern Sydney Freight Line.

“Each extra freight train travelling on the Port Botany Rail Line will take up to 54 trucks off Sydney’s roads,” Campbell said.

The contract awards follow an intensive tender and evaluation process throughout 2020 and the first part of 2021.

Following site mobilisation in the second half of 2021, major construction works on both elements are due to start in the first quarter of 2022.