The state-owned railroad company Latvijas dzelzcels (LDz) subsidiary LDz Cargo in November 2008 recorded a record-breaking cargo turnover volume of 5.068 million tons, which is the largest monthly cargo turnover amount since the restoration of the independence of Latvia.
Overall in the past eleven months, LDz carried 50.593 million tons of cargo, or 7.4% more than in the respective period of 2007 (47.126 million tons), as LDz Cargo spokesman Eduards Cernavskis told LETA.
It is the largest cargo turnover amount ever in the history of LDz Cargo and Latvijas dzelzcels. LDz Cargo was established last July during the restructuring of LDz cargo transportation business.
Export cargo transport increased the most, 11.5%: from 2.158 million tons in the first eleven months of 2007 to 2.407 million tons in the first eleven months this year.
Import cargo volume increased 9.9% to 42.337 million tons, compared to 38.522 million tons in the respective period last year.
Transit cargo turnover, on the other hand, decreased 6%, from 4.561 million tons in the first eleven months last year to 4.287 million tons this year.
As usual, oil products made up the bulk of cargo transportation: 17.546 million tons of oil products were transported by LDz Cargo in the first eleven months this year – a 0.3% increase year-on-year.
Coal transportation volume increased significantly, 24.5% to 16.405 million tons.