Rail freight transport in Russia decreased 33.1% in January 2009 compared to January 2008, the Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat) said according to Interfax.
The January decline surpassed that of December 2008, when rail transport dropped 26.3% compared to December 2007.
Rail shipments of coke, cement and timber declined almost 50% in January, while shipments of iron and manganese ore as well as ferrous metals fell by more than 40%. Scrap metal shipments plunged 77.7% and construction material shipments fell 72%.