British Steel said it has won a major multi million pound contract to supply rail for a landmark new route in North Africa.

In total, 9,500 tonnes of track, produced in Scunthorpe, will be delivered for Egypt’s Green Line railway – the country’s first fully electrified mainline and freight network which stretches from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.

The network is 660km long and will carry trains – for passengers and goods – up to a maximum speed of 250kmph (155mph) with British Steel among a number of key suppliers providing rail to the project.

Rail supplied is 60E1 in grade R260, each at 18 metres in length.

British Steel Commercial Manager Export – Rail, Jérôme Bonef, said: “We are delighted British Steel has been awarded this contract and to be involved in such a transformational project for Egypt, which will bring significant improvements to the transport network.

“The British Steel rail business prides itself on providing value solutions to our customers, being easy to trade with whilst providing on-time deliveries with world-leading quality.”

The line promises to revolutionise Egypt’s transport system, with the construction of a high-speed network reducing primary energy usage and overall air pollution.

Two shipments of rail will be transported from British Steel to the north Egyptian port of Alexandria this month and in June.

The Scunthorpe steel will be used to extend the line from Alexandria via El Alamein to the Mediterranean coast in the north-west and eastwards to the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea.

The project is being managed by Orascom Construction and Arab Contractors Joint Venture with the design, construction, commissioning, and operation of the line handled by the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) for Egypt.