en.Wedoany.com Reported - Three infrastructure companies have been shortlisted to help refine the design of the proposed Marsden Point Rail Link. KiwiRail has selected Acciona, a Downer/HEB joint venture, and Martinus Rail to participate in a "design sprint" aimed at developing low-cost options for the 19-kilometer rail link and providing the government with a lower, more confident estimate to proceed.
Rail Minister Winston Peters said the project is critical to the future development of Northport, and this effort is intended to give the government a clearer grasp of project costs before any funding decisions are made. He noted that the 19-kilometer railway is necessary, as Northport requires a rail connection like all other major ports in the country; more specifically, the port is seen by major shipping companies as key to New Zealand's export future. Peters criticized the previous government's handling of the project, stating that it committed funding before detailed design work was completed: the previous government allocated NZ$410 million, which seemed arbitrary because they had no knowledge of the design or costs at the time, and subsequently received a NZ$1 billion estimate from KiwiRail.
The government has taken a different approach, making KiwiRail's design data publicly available to the market and inviting companies to propose alternative solutions. The shortlisted companies will study ways to reduce earthworks, optimize construction sequencing, explore alternatives for addressing ground conditions, and evaluate different bridge and level crossing designs. Peters said this process reflects the government's overall approach to major infrastructure projects. The proposed Marsden Point Rail Link, which would connect Northport to the national rail network, has been identified as a key infrastructure project to support freight growth in Northland.
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