Rail transport of ferrous metals for export increased by 13% in 2025

Rail freight transportation in the mining and metallurgical sector decreased by 3% last year, to 37 million tons. For the industry and transport companies, this means stagnation. It should be noted that at the end of 2024, there was a jump of 57% to 38.2 million tons.

At the end of last year, Ukrzaliznytsia carried out the following exports of mining and metallurgical cargo:

• iron and manganese ore – a decrease of 5.5% y/y, to 31.2 million tons;
• ferrous metals – an increase of 13% y/y, to 5.8 million tons.

For comparison: at the end of 2024, exports of iron and manganese ore increased 1.7 times compared to 2023, to 33 million tons, and ferrous metals increased by 13.7% to 5.2 million tons. The sharp increase in iron ore exports at the end of 2024 is explained by the operation of the maritime corridor, but there are currently no similar drivers of growth in external supplies of mineral resources.

In March–April last year, there was a sharp decline in the volume of rail freight transportation of iron and steel products, which was associated with Russian shelling of energy infrastructure. This led to disruptions in the work of both enterprises and the railway.

The shelling of Ukrainian energy facilities and the internal situation in the mining industry had a significant impact on the decline in iron and manganese ore transportation last year. In 2025, companies in the industry faced not only weak market conditions but also internal problems. Ingulets GOK was idle due to high electricity prices and logistics costs, while Ferrexpo faced administrative pressure and non-reimbursement of VAT. This led to a 9% year-on-year decline in iron ore production in 2025.

Total rail freight (export and domestic) for the past year amounted to:

• iron and manganese ore – 42.8 million tons;
• ferrous metals – 9.7 million tons.

In terms of total freight volume, the iron and steel complex surpassed the agricultural sector. In 2025, Ukrzaliznytsia transported 28.9 million tons of grain, of which 25.5 million tons were for export.

Ferrous metals account for 19% of Ukrzaliznytsia’s container transport. In 2025, the transport of steel products by this method increased by 7.8% year-on-year, to 46.4 thousand TEU. It should be noted that in 2024, this figure decreased by 42.3% y/y to 43 thousand TEU. Iron and steel companies are Ukrzaliznytsia’s largest customers in terms of container transport volume after agricultural companies.