OREANDA-NEWS. March 28, 2012. Ukraine, Moldova, Lithuania and Georgia will work to improve the efficiency of transportation in the direction: Baltic Sea - Black Sea using combined transport train "Viking" and the existing rail and ferry. This was discussed at the meeting of vice Prime Minister of Ukraine - Minister of Infrastructure Borys Kolesnikov with Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia Vera Kobaliya, Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania Eligiyus Masyulis, Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of Belarus Oleksandr Shyshka and Minister of Transport and Road Infrastructure of Moldova Anatoliye Shalaruheld in Batumi (Georgia).

"Transit is extremely important for our country: now we are talking about providing transit transportations in the direction of Baltic - Black Sea", - said Borys Kolesnikov.

According to Borys Kolesnikov, on January 19, 2012 through Ukraine train "Viking" runs regularly - twice a week. And from February 1, 2012 it has been set 20% discount to the collection rates for the transportation of export and import large-container through the territory of Ukraine by the train "Viking".

The first results of this decision already we have: for 2 months of 2012 year as part of combined transport train "Viking" Ukraine's railways transported 1,991 TEU – it is in 4.3 times more than for the same period of last year. Transportation volumes in other countries also have been extended: only for two months of 2012 by train "Viking" in the territory of Belarus transported 8.7 thousand TEU, and, in particular, in February, traffic volumes have exceeded last year by 6.9%. Via territory of Lithuania in 2011, the "Viking" transported 56.0 thousand TEU - 34% more than in 2010.
However, according to Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, we have to increase the frequency of circulation of "Viking" and seek that after eight months "Viking" started to run every day - that's when it will be beneficial for shippers.

"We have to create a marketing group to develop an appropriate strategy," - says Borys Kolesnikov. The first results of the group will be considered at the next meeting which can be held in Kyiv.

Borys Kolesnikov also said that in order to attract transit cargo traffic Ukraine implements a number of measures to create favorable conditions for the implementation of transit transportations. It has already adopted legal instruments providing for simplification and reduction of time passing control procedures when crossing the state border of Ukraine. Thus, the resolution of the Government of Ukraine indicated that the duration of the customs control of goods, which moved in transit through the territory of Ukraine in the container, if the preliminary documentary control should not exceed four hours.

According to the negotiators, now basic principles for a coordinated work on the development of rail and ferry have to be developed. To do this: to attract more cargo and customer base to form a competitive tariff policy, eliminate barriers to the successful development of traffic.

For the rapid response of the country have agreed to regularly exchange statistics on goods moving in transit, export and import regime. In addition, countries will exchange and tariff conditions for the rout of "Viking".

Recall that combined transport train "Viking" started transportation in 2003 year. Its route passes via territories of Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania: it connects the ports of Illichivsk / Odessa on the Black Sea and Klaiped on the Baltic Sea.