UK: Expansion of industrial property developer Verdion’s iPort Rail multimodal freight terminal in Doncaster is to go ahead, after the UK subsidiary of MSC Group’s Medlog business agreed terms to operate the facility under a long-term lease.
Handover is expected in Q1 2024, with container lifting and storage to be undertaken under the Medlog brand. iPort Rail’s current 27-strong team will remain in place.
The iPort Rail terminal opened in 2018, and it now has daily services running to and from Southampton, Felixstowe, Immingham and Teesport.
Verdion will now commence work on Phase 2, doubling the terminal’s size and storage capacity and increasing the number of trains than can be accommodated each day.
Planning consent has been secured and work is expected to start in Q1 2024 for operation in the first quarter of 2025.
‘The economic and environmental benefits of rail freight are clear, and we have significant untapped potential here at iPort to increase provision and support national and international supply chains’, said Verdion Executive Director John Clements on December 5.
Managing Director of Medlog UK Dan Everitt said ‘iPort Rail is strategically located less than 5 min from junction 3 of the M18 motorway and it will continue to be an open access terminal, with operations continuing seamlessly and without interruption to its customers. The investment in the iPort Rail terminal is part of the group’s continued investment in intermodal infrastructure in the UK.’
Colliers and CBRE supported Verdion on the transaction and, with GV Property, are the retained leasing agents for iPort.
Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan is Verdion’s partner in the development and management of the site.
