The International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) are pleased to co-host the upcoming 14 th International Heavy Haul Association Conference in Perth, Australia from Monday 21 to Thursday 24 June 2027.
The IHHA Conference Perth 2027 will bring together the global heavy haul sector to share best practice knowledge and to showcase future technology. Bringing together more than 700 heavy haul rail professionals from around the world, the conference will showcase Australian and global experience, in a dynamic conference environment that will foster networking and information sharing.
The International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA)
The International Heavy Haul Association (IHHA) is the global industry association of the heavy haul rail sector.
The IHHA is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in heavy haul railway operations, engineering, maintenance, and technology.
It strives to accomplish this mission through the acquisition of knowledge relevant to this goal by sponsoring and organising international and regional conferences, specialist technical sessions and specialist seminars; by commissioning guideline manuals, by preparing and distributing conference proceedings and technical documentation and by related activities as recommended by the Board of Directors.
The IHHA engages in a continual process of adaptation to ensure it satisfies the demands of state-of-the-art technical information that is relevant in a changing and developing industry.
At a crucial moment in 1975–76, the inspiration for establishing the Association arose from groundbreaking advancements at the Melbourne Research Laboratories of Broken Hill Properties Co Ltd (BHP), focused on the Mt Newman Mining and Hamersley Iron railways in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
The vision behind this work was to share the valuable insights gained in that research with heavy haul railways worldwide.
Embarking on this journey, we discovered that global railways faced similar challenges.
This shared recognition led to meaningful dialogues, seeking collective solutions.
Thus began a global conversation, inviting railways transporting commodities like coal, grain, iron ore, and others to participate actively, giving rise to the IHHA.
The Australasian Railway Association (ARA)
The ARA is the peak body for the rail sector in Australia and New Zealand, which advocates for more than 230 member organisations across the rail industry.
The ARA’s members include every aspect of the rail industry, including:
- The passenger and freight operators that keep essential rail services
moving - The track owners, managers and contractors that deliver a safe and
efficient rail infrastructure network - The suppliers, manufacturers and consultants that drive innovation,
productivity and efficiency in the rail industry.
The ARA supports industry advocacy, workforce development and industry
capability.
