A large shipment of rail project cargo for the IRCON International Ltd which is constructing the 31.5km rail link from Pelabuhan  Tanjung Pelepas to the national grid was handled via Westport recently.

The first shipment of 2,330 tonnes (2, 340 pieces) of rail lines, loaded in Antwerp, Belgium arrived in Westport via  'MV Blue Dream.

"The specialized gears, rail clamps and other shore cranes a the conventional wharves, ensured the efficient discharge of the cargoes. The rail clamps with special spreaders were used to discharge the cargo off the vessel onto 25-tonnes pole trailers before trucked down to the site. Westport is expected to handle two more shipments of such rail lines from Belgium," said Westport's conventional cargo terminal manager, M Kalimuthu.

According to C.Singh of IRCON International the construction of the rail link between Kempas and PTP was on schedule.

"Almost 50 per cent of the rail link linking PTP to main grid has been completed and the line will be ready for commercial operation by early next year," he said.

The rail link is based on the 'design & build' covers a total of distance of approximately 31.556 km single track line with provision for future expansion of double track and electrified track.

A total of 21 bridges over river and under the roads will be constructed along the route. It will have a total of 3 new stations including a junction station, an intermediate station and a terminal station said Singh.