By KYIV. May 4 (Interfax-Ukraine) – JSC Ukrzaliznytsia in April 2023 reduced the average daily cargo handling by 6% compared to March of the current year, to 360,500 tonnes, but increased it by 20.6% compared to April 2022 , the company said on Tuesday.
“Despite the situational decrease in traffic volumes compared to March 2023, we expect a positive increase in freight traffic compared to last year. For our part, we are doing everything to fully resume export rail transportation to European countries and compensate for the volumes that were lost due to blocking and uncertainty in relation to export and transit goods sent to the EU,” the words of head of the Ukrzaliznytsia board Yevhen Liaschenko are quoted in the message.
In April, there is an increase in the average daily load of strategically important cargoes: coal – by 22%, to 68,300 tonnes, oil and oil products – by 27%, to 8,600 tonnes, ferrous metals – by 25%, to 19,000 tonnes, and construction cargo – more than twice, to 32,200 tonnes.
At the same time, the average daily loading of grain cargo in April 2023 decreased by 17% compared to March, but 76% higher than in April 2022.
“Transportation of agricultural goods remains a priority in cargo work, as the new sowing season has already begun. We are working on resuming export and transit traffic and ensuring uninterrupted work on the internal network,” Viacheslav Yeromin, member of the Ukrzaliznytsia board, is also quoted in the message.
The company reminded that, at the request of foreign carriers, they introduced conventional restrictions on transportation of agricultural goods in the direction of Poland until the situation was resolved.
