OREANDA-NEWS. February 12, 2014. Russian freight transportation

In 2013, freight transportation fell compared with the previous year: freight volumes were at 1 237.5 mln tonnes (down 2.8%, or 34.8 mln tonnes year-on-year), while freight turnover was at 1 971.5 bln tonne-kilometres (down 1.6%, or 32.6 bln tonne-kilometres).

Coal. In 2013 310.8 mln tonnes of coal were transported (up 1.0% in comparison with 2012), while freight turnover2 reached 775.5 bln tonne-kilometres (up 5.4% in comparison with 2012). Transportation volume of coal in December 2013 amounted to 29 mln tonnes, which is a historic monthly maximum, accounted for by the record levels of production.

Oil and petroleum products. In 2013, freight transport volume of oil and petroleum products amounted to 250.3 mln tonnes (down 3.1%), with freight turnover at 383.1 bln tonnes-kilometres (down 4.6%).

Share of crude oil transport decreased from 17.1% in 2012 to 12.7% in 2013 and amounted to 32.5 mln tonnes. Main categories of oil cargo carried by rail were fuel oil (70.7 mln tonnes; up 2.0% in comparison with 2012), diesel (55.7 mln tonnes; down 3.8%), gasoline (37.5 mln tonnes; down 3.0%), crude oil (32.5 mln tonnes; down 27.7%).

Liquefied petroleum gas. In 2013, freight transport volume amounted to 38.5 mln tonnes (up 13.8%), with freight turnover at 83.9 bln tonne-kilometres (up 17.9%). Domestic freight transport increased by a quarter, while export freight transport increased by 5%. The main drivers of growth were Turkish and European ports. Frequency of transport shipments increased from the following stations: Limbej (NOVATECH) and Syvdarma (Gazpromtrans and UNGK), YNAO and Surgut (Gazpromtrans) and Pyt-Yakh (SIBUR-Trans) KhMAD.

Construction materials. The total volume of construction material freight in 2013 totaled 204.6 mln tonnes (down 7.5%), with freight turnover at 110.1 bln tonne-kilometres (down 5.0%). Freight volume fell for all types of construction materials in 2013: crushed stone (down 10% compared to 2012), building stone (down 2%), cement (down 2%), sand and clay (down 5%), brick (down 2%), fly ash and slag (down 11%).

Ferrous metals. In 2013 ferrous metals freight volume amounted to 70.1 mln tonnes (down 4.5%), with freight turnover at 108.7 bln tonne-kilometres (down 9.8%). Ferrous metal domestic freight volume fell by 2.5%, while export freight volume fell by 7%. The main factors that accounted for the decrease in export freight volume were freight shipments to the European Union and China. It should be noted that export volume to the United States and Mexico has increased. Shipments from MMK, CHMK and NTMK decreased, while shipments from NLMK and Severstal remained on the level of 2012.

Iron ore. In 2013, iron ore freight volume amounted to 110.8 mln tonnes (up 0.6%), with freight turnover at 111.4 bln tonne-kilometres (down 3.9%). Iron ore freight turnover fell due to the decrease in the export of ore to China. Transportation volumes from Mikhailovsky, Kachkanarsky, Rudnogorsky and Kovdorsky processing plants, as well as from Severstal “Karelsky okatysh”, has increased, while the volume of shipments from Stojlensky and Olenegorsky processing plants have dropped.

Scrap. In 2013, scrap freight volume totaled 16.7 mln tonnes (down 7.2%), with freight turnover at 14.0 bln tonne-kilometres (down 9.7%). Consumption of scrap by the key metallurgical enterprises decreased by 5%-15% in comparison with 2012. The exception was NLMK, which increased scrap freight to the factories in Novolipeck and Revda by 7%.

Non-ferrous metals, ores and concentrates. In 2013, freight volume of non-ferrous metals amounted to 25.2 mln tonnes (down 7.5%), with freight turnover at 36.0 bln tonne-kilometres (down 2.5%). Raw materials for the production of non-ferrous metals accounted for more than 80% of the freight and was carried out mainly on domestic routes. Rolled steel and non-ferrous alloys are transported to the United States and European ports. The domestic market accounts for no more than 20% of non-ferrous metal rolled products.

Grain. In 2013, freight volume of grain crops totaled 16.5 mln tonnes (down 18.3%), with freight turnover at 27.4 bln tonne-kilometres (down 19.9%). Primarily, the strong drop is associated with the low freight volume at the beginning of 2013.

Fertilizers. Following the increase in the production of fertilizers in 2013, freight volume of fertilizers has increased as well: freight volume amounted to 47.0 mln tonnes (up 4.2%), and freight turnover — to 77.2 bln tonne-kilometres (up 1.9%). Domestic freight volume decreased by 1%, while export freight increased by 7.5% due to higher exports of potash fertilizers. It should be noted that the freight volume from Berezniki, Solikhamsk, and Coshta stations have increased.