NATCHEZ — Genesis Energy reached a milestone at its Natchez project Monday with the arrival of the first unit train hauling Canadian bitumen into the Natchez-Adams County Port.

Genesis has been loading and unloading bitumen shipped by rail from the Canadian oil sands at its Natchez facility, though not in the volume the new train represents, Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ said.

Bitumen is thicker than other crude oil products, and it has to be heated to allow its transport. Genesis finished its first 40 heating racks in mid-2013, and announced the expansion that allowed the unit train to come in May.

From Natchez, the bitumen is shipped by barge to the Gulf Coast refinery market.

“They have been loading and unloading in 40 to 45 cars at a time at the port, but with a unit train — which is typically 100 to 109 cars at a time — they will be able to do twice as much,” he said.

The ultimate goal for the company is to unload a unit train a day, which — when other rail traffic is accounted for — will move the total number of cars in and out of Adams County to approximately 40,000 a year, Russ said.

“Prior to this, Mississippi River Pulp and Jones Lumber Company were moving a few cars in and out of the port on occasion, but it was minimal,” he said.

The ramp up in rail volume has helped guarantee the Natchez to Brookhaven line of Natchez Railway stays open after several years of worry — and the formation of a regional rail authority in response to that worry — that the line might be closed due to low volume.

Economic development officials have said keeping rail lines open is a key component of future industrial recruitment, and when the Adams County Board of Supervisors honored Genesis as business of the month Monday, Supervisor Mike Lazarus praised Genesis for its ability to bring in the big trains.

“This is the company that saved the railroad,” he said.

The company has invested approximately $50 million in the Natchez project.

Genesis Terminal Supervisor Andy Anderson said the company currently has 15 employees, is looking to add 15 more and is working with local colleges to find employees.

Russ said Genesis would have a job fair at the WIN Job Center March 13.