Russian Railways increased export coal transportation to North-West ports by 22.8% in 5M’2023
Coal shipments to the ports of South fell by 11%
In January-May 2023, Russian Railways considerably increased transportation of export coal to the ports of the North-West region – by 22.8% (25.5 million tonnes), year-on-year. The bulk of export coal is shipped to the port of Ust-Luga (+39%) and Murmansk (+25.4%). Coal shipments from Kuzbass in those directions totaled 18.4 million tonnes (+14.2%), according to Russian Railways’ Telegram channel.
Total shipments of export coal by the network of Russian Railways reached 84.8 million tonnes in January-May 2023. Over a half of it, 45.1 million tonnes, is exported eastwards, 10% more than in 2022. “The highest growth rates in eastward shipments are shown by the regions which signed agreements on coal transportation with Russian Railways in pursuance of the country leaders’ instructions. For example, Kuzbass increased shipments in that direction by 19.5% to 22.7 million tonnes,” reads the statement.
Coal shipments to the ports of Russia’s South totaled 13.3 million tonnes, 3 times as much as in 2018 but 11% less than in the same period of 2022. “That is due to highly intense traffic in this direction. It is the impact of record high passenger transportation and redirection of other cargoes such as grain (up 2.5 times), fertilizers (+16.2%) and others. Total transportation to southern ports rose by 1.2% to 40 million tonnes,” says Russian Railways.
