FIVE railway carriages using bullet train technology have arrived in the North-East.

Built in Japan, the fully-finished Transpennine Express carriages were delivered to the Port of Tyne.

Weighing 50.4 tonnes each, the carriages arrived on-board the Höegh Antwerp, and will be stored at the Port’s secure Tyne Dock estate before continuing on their journey to Hitachi Rail Europe in Newton Aycliffe.

Alongside the five train carriages were 16 Kobelco Excavators, weighing up to 26 tonnes each; 12 Komatsu Excavators, weighing up to 35 tonnes each, and three Hitachi Excavators, weighing 8 tonnes each.

The 200m long deep-sea car carrier, Höegh Antwerp, covered 12,792 nautical miles, from Kobe, Japan via Hiroshima, Lianyungang, Masan, Singapore, Livorno, Barcelona and Bristol, before arriving at North Tyneside.

Complex cargo planning enabled the train carriages to be discharged in less than one hour.

Nolan Gray, from the Port of Tyne, said: “Increased RoRo capacity in regular shipping services offers businesses looking to streamline their supply chain a more efficient, reliable and cost-effective way to connect to global markets.”