The Australian Competition Tribunal (ACT) has decided that the global
mining giant
Rio Tinto's Hamersley and Robe rail lines should not be opened up to third party access.
According to
Rio Tinto's statement, third party access to the company's rail network will negatively affect its "highly efficient railway that is fully integrated with port and mine operations".
As a response to ACT's decision, Australian miner
Fortescue stated that the decision does not affect its current operations and expansion plans, which utilize its own existing fully owned rail infrastructure. The company also underlined that it will continue to provide third party access to its own rail system and will continue to advocate for third party access for all Pilbara rail infrastructure.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, in September 2012 the High Court of
Australia allowed Australian miner
Fortescue to apply for a further review of its Pilbara rail case at the ACT.