Russian Railway company authorities announced they delay since December, 10th transshipment of export coal, coke and ferrous metals towards of the Far East ports. Representatives of the coal companies, heads of JSC "Mortsentr-TeK" exporting cargoes through ports of the Far East and RR managers met recently to discuss the issue, the RR press service reports.
The participants at the meeting emphasized the dramatic delays in unloading cars at the Far East ports. In December there were reportedly more idling trains pinned down on the railway to the Far East, and the capacity of the railroad infrastructure narrowed in the situation that may hit the Russian economy, the report says.
In this situation the Russian Railway authorities have to limit considerably the loading of cars heading to the Far East.
Since December, 10th of due to delays in handling cars, narrowed capacity of the ports, and also in order to avoid unproductive idle time of a rolling stock on the Russian Railway lines the company authorities decided to suspend further operations with coal transshipment towards Nakhodka-Vostochnaya-Export station and cut down to 50% the total volume of coal for the East port 3.
As of December, 8th, 2009 the East port 1 could handle 68 cars daily according to the planned rate 100 cars a day, unloading rate at the port 3 made 421 car a day (planned 550 cars). At least 56 trains were directed towards the port.
Besides, since December, 10th the loading of coal point destination Nakhodka- Vostochnaya-Export station for "Stevedore company" small port " has been stopped.
The average throughput at the port in December was 33 cars (norm 60 cars) a day, and only 18 cars on December, 8th unloaded. Over 700 idling cars are reported on the line to the port (including 400 on the Far East railway).
Russian Railway have also decided since December, 10th to cancel loading of ferrous metals towards Mys Astafeva-Export of the Far East railway to Nahodkinsky Sea Commercial port. Daily average throughput at NSCP in December was 205 cars (280 cars).
Authorities also stopped loading of coke from a number of stations of the Western-Siberian railway and ferrous metals from several stations of South Ural, Northern, Kuibyshev, Far East railways due to Vladivostok-Export Station of the Far East highway, for Vladivostok Sea Commercial port. Throughput at the port of ferrous metals in December was 105 cars (rate of output 180 units); on December, 6th less than 30 cars were handled. Over 1,6 thousand cars, including on the Far East railway - 900 of them empty cars stand idle.
The coke unloading in December made 48 cars a day at rates 60 cars. On December, 6th 16 cars were unloaded. On the Far East railway 17 trains for port Vladivostok are pinned down. At least 2,7 thousand empty cars stand idle 20 days.
The state-run Russian Railways company is one the three major world operators. The operational length of the railways networks is 85,2 thousand km.