Russian Railways note growth of cargo transportation via border crossings to China in 1Q’2023
Russian Railways JSC notes an increase in freight traffic through border crossings to China in January-March 2023. In the reported period, freight traffic via the main border crossing, Zabaikalsk – Manchuria, increased 1.6 times. In January-March, more than 4.9 million tonnes were transported there including over 4.3 million tonnes of export cargo (+63%). The growth was mainly driven by coal, ore, containerized cargo, fertilizers, according to the Russian Railways’ Telegram channel.
Foreign trade cargo transportation via the Grodekovo-Suifenhe checkpoint in the Far East totaled 2.1 million tonnes (+14.6%), including over 2 million tonnes of export cargo. Ore, coal and grain are named among the leaders. According to the Far Eastern Railway, its freight traffic through the international border crossings with China rose by 24.6% in the first quarter of 2023. A total of 3.3 million tonnes of cargo were transported in all directions. Export transportation of coal and ore through the new railway border crossing Nizhneleninskoye - Tongjiang totaled 529 thousand tonnes.
The traffic growth continued in April. This week, a record was rgistered in Zabaikalsk: for the first time since 2014, 21 trains crossed the border over a day, says Russian Railways.
According to earlier reports of IAA PortNews, trade turnover between Russia and China rose by 38.7%, year-on-year, to almost $53.84 billion. Exports from Russia rose by 32.6% to $29.77 billion, imports of Chinese products — by 47.1% to $24.07 billion.