Russian Railways gets discounts for cargo transportation by eastern line of North-South corridor
In January-March 2023, cargo transportation by the route is expected to make 64.5 thousand tonnes, up 33 times
Russian Railways has secured a discount for cargo transportation by eastern line of North-South corridor. The company’s partners from Kazakhstan provide a 40-pct discount for transportation of the key types of cargo excluding grain, mill products and petroleum products via the Russia-Kazakhstan border crossings on the routes to Turkmenistan and other countries of the Middle Asia, according to Russian Railways’ Telegram.
The discount for transportation by the railways of Turkmenistan: 50% for transportation in the direction of Ak-Yayla border crossing; 40% for cargo overloaded in Serahs (bound for Iran and then to the ports of the Indian Ocean).
In the first quarter of 2023, cargo transportation by the North-South ITC is expected to show a two-fold growth, year-on-year, to over 2.3 million tonnes.
In January-March, shipments on the western line have already totaled 2.2 million tonnes (up two-fold), by Trans-Caspian route – 74.2 thousand tonnes (up 3-fold).
Over the same period, cargo transportation by the eastern route, via Ak-Yayla and Serahs, is expected to make 64.5 thousand tonnes, (up 33 times).
North-South international transport corridor (ITC) is a 7,200-kilometre-long transport artery from St Petersburg to ports in Iran and India. North-South ITC has a western and an eastern branch, both running across Iran. The western one foresees cargo transportation by road via Rasht, the eastern one – by railway. The end point in Iran is the port of Bandar Abbas from which cargo can be delivered to India by sea. The western branch also crosses Azerbaijan, the eastern one – Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. Besides, direct water transportation from Russia to Iran by the Caspian Sea is possible.
The volume of Russian cargo transported by the North-South ITC is expected to double by 2030, from the current 17 million tonnes to 32 million tonnes.
