OREANDA-NEWS. September 16, 2009. In eight months of 2009 LDz Cargo Ltd has transported 1.1% more than in the respective period of 2008, and 3.4% more than in July 2009. LDz Cargo Ltd increased the volumes of container transportation by 17.5%, reported the press-centre of LDz.

In eight months of this year LDz Cargo has carried 37.1 million tons of freight, which is 1.1% more than in the respective period of 2008. In August the company has transported 4.54 million tons of freight, which is 3.4% more than in July of this year.

“Dynamics of freight transportations allow us to hope that this year we will keep freight transportations at the same level as previous year, when Latvijas dzelzcels reached record-high results in freight transportations,” commented SJSC Latvijas dzelzcels Chairman of the Boar d Ugis Magonis.

In the second half of 2009 there was a considerable increase in the volumes of container transportations. In eight months of this year LDz Cargo Ltd has transported 42108 container units, which is 17.5% more than last year.

“We are satisfied that proportion of container transportations in total freight turnover continues to increase - this tendency is more essential than absolute figures, because our aim is to diversify and expand types of transported freight. These indicators are real results to our strategy,” highlighted U.Magonis.

The results were high because there was an increase in import freight transportations – this year there were carried 32.67 million tons of import freight. The volumes of import freight transported by rail increased by 6.8% compared to the respective period of 2008.

Export transportations as well show positive tendency: export cargo volumes decreased by 11% in August compared to 12.2% drop in July.

In eight months of 2009 there was a considerable increase in transportation of oil products, chemicals, coal and coke: most of all LDz Cargo transported oil products – 14.89 million tons, which is 14.4% more than in the respective period of 2008. The volumes of coal transported by rail grew by 15.1%, ie. 13.5 million tons transported, but chemicals – by 15.4%, ie. 1.94 million tons transported.

LDz Cargo Ltd is the biggest rail freight carrier in the Baltic States and the fifth biggest in the European Union. LDz Cargo Ltd is one of the biggest excise tax payers in the state.

Concern Latvijas dzelzce ls comprises the holding company SJSC Latvijas dzelzcels and four subsidiaries – LDz Cargo Ltd., which is a rail freight carrier; LDz infrastruktura Ltd., which provides infrastructure construction and maintenance works; LDz ritosa sastava serviss Ltd., which provides rolling stock repairs and maintenance works, and LDz Apsardze – a security company.