Ukrzaliznytsia reported 18.5% cargo shipments drop after three months of 2022

In January-March 2022, state-run Ukrainian railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia, reduced freight transportation by 18.5% compared to the same period in 2021 – up to 56 million tons, Rail.Insider reported.

“In the first quarter, domestic traffic decreased the most, by almost 25%. Imports and transit also fell. These types of communications suffered the most from the Russian invasion. Exports fell by at least 10% in the quarter,” the statement reads.

In March, 8 million tons of cargo were transported by rail in Ukraine. About a third of those shipments was iron and manganese ore. Coal, grain, building materials and ferrous metals were among big rail cargos too.

In January, Ukrzaliznytsia transported 26.1 million tons of cargo, which is 18.4% more than in January 2021. The weight of rail freight in Ukraine in the first nine days of March fell by almost 70% compared to the same period last year. From the beginning of war in Ukraine, February 24, to March 18, Ukrzaliznytsia transported 5.28 million tons of cargo, of which 276.4 thousand tons were grain. However, the amount of freight on the railway is gradually increasing and exceeds 300 thousand tons per day.

Earlier GMK Center reported, that in 2021 Ukrzaliznytsia reduced the transportation of iron and manganese ore by 2.7% compared to 2020 – to 77.6 million tons. Transportation of finished steel products increased by 6% – to 21.7 million tons.

In 2021, Ukrzaliznytsia increased cargo transportation by 3.03% compared to 2020 – up to 314.6 million tons.