By KYIV. May 10 (Interfax-Ukraine) – The transfer of wagons with agricultural products at border crossings with Poland in May fell 50-75% compared to March, despite the resumption of transit, there is an accumulation of a large number of wagons at the stations that do not allow access to Poland, Deputy Director of the Commercial work Department of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia Valeriy Tkachev has told Interfax-Ukraine.
According to him, on May 8, 28 platforms with 56 containers of grain were sent through the border crossing point Jagodzin-Dorohusk, the average daily transfer of wagons to the border crossing point is nine wagons per day versus 41.3 wagons per day in March and 60.1 wagons per day in February.
On the same date, 23 platforms with 46 containers of grain were transferred through the Mostyska II-Medyka border crossing point, the average daily transfer fell to 15 wagons per day versus 28 wagons per day in March and 37 wagons per day in February, Tkachev said.
A total of 56 wagons with oilcake were sent through Izov-Hrubieszów, the average daily transfer fell to 14 wagons per day from 58 wagons per day in March, he added.
The representative of Ukrzaliznytsia, in particular, said that for a long time at the Polish station Dorohusk, there have been 155 wagons not allowed by the Polish regulatory authorities, and on the Ukrainian side – another 240 wagons, of which 92 wagons are with transit cargo.
“Polish PKP Cargo does not accept these wagons, and since March 26, it has not accepted the loaded 41 gondola cars (on the 1435mm track) with transit cargo,” Tkachev said.
According to him, there are five wagons at the Mostyska II-Medyka border crossing point at the stations of Ukraine, waiting for PKP Cargo’s consent to transport them in transit to Holland, according to the letter of the Atlant-Agro private enterprise, while on European tracks (1435mm) cargo is transferred without barriers.
He said that the largest accumulation of wagons is observed at the Izov-Hrubieszów border crossing point, where out of 600 wagons located at the Polish Hrubieszów station, only 107 wagons were allowed by the Polish regulatory authorities. On the Ukrainian side, another 992 wagons are waiting, of which 193 are with transit cargo.
Tkachev said that cargo has also accumulated at the border crossing points with Hungary. In particular, 517 wagons with grain, 213 with oil, and 66 wagons with cake at the Batieve-Eperjeske border crossing point, and another 31 wagons at the Chop-Záhony border crossing point are waiting to cross the border. At the same time, the indicator of the average daily transfer of wagons decreased in May at the Batieve-Eperjeske point to 21 trains per day versus 47.7 trains per day in April, and at the Chop border crossing point – to 44 trains per day versus 62.6 trains per day in April.
“The main problem with transit through Hungary is the strict time limit for transit transportation by rail. The established deadline is seven days, if it is exceeded, a fine of 100% of the cost of transit grain shall be paid – the so-called “broken transit,” the representative of Ukrzaliznytsia said.
He said that the Hungarian carrier MMV does not accept 213 wagons with oil, it is waiting for the availablity of 1435 mm wagons on its territory and guarantees from transshipment terminals that they will have time to take the necessary actions and meet the deadline of seven days.
