OREANDA-NEWS. July 16, 2009. In six months of 2009 LDz Cargo Ltd., subsidiary of Latvijas dzelzcels has carried 1.2% more cargos than in the first half of 2008, reported the press-centre of LDz.

This year LDz Cargo transported 28.17 million tons of freight, which is 1.2% more than in the respective period of 2008, when there were carried 27.8 million tons. Freight volumes increased considerably in June; therefore, there were reached good results in the first half of this year.

The good results were achieved due to increase in import transportations – they have grown by 7% comparing to the first half of last year. This year there were transported 24.86 million tons of import freight, but in the same period last year – 23.24 million tons.

Freight volumes grew due to transportations of oil products, chemicals, coal and coke. The main kind of freight transported this year was oil products – 11.54 million tons, which is 12% more than in the respective period of 2008.

The volumes of coal and coke increased by 16.9%, ie. 10.31 million tons. The volumes of chemicals carried by rail in six months of 2009 grew by 20.2%, ie. 1.45 million tons.
 
There was a decrease in export, domestic and transit transportations. Comparing to the first half of 2008 export transportations have fallen by 5.6% - in the first half of 2009 there were carried 1.13 million tons of export freight, but last year in the respective period there were transported 1.2 million tons of export freight.

A positive tendency was observed in container transportation volumes. In the first half of 2009 container transportations have increased by 0.2%, ie. 27446 container units.

“We are satisfied that regardless of the difficult economic situation and considering that freight volumes for the majority of European railway companies have decreased, LDz Cargo not only kept freight volumes at the same level as last year, but also increased them,” comments Ugis Magonis, Chairman of the Board of LDz.

Concern Latvijas dzelzcels comprises the holding company SJSC Latvijas dzelzcels and four subsidiaries – LDz Cargo Ltd., LDz infrastruktura Ltd., LDz ritosa sastava serviss Ltd. and a security company – LDz apsardze.

LDz Cargo is the biggest rail freight carrier in the Baltic States and the fifth biggest in the European Union.