RZD’s YTD freight loading edges up to 926.8 million tonnes

There was a decline in loading of timber, crude oil and products, with grain volume growth

Overall freight volume loading across the entire networks of Russian Railways (RZD) reached 926.8 million tonnes in January-September 2023, which is a 0.6-percent gain on the same period last year, the RZD press office said.

According to RZD operational data, the total freight loaded in Jan-Sept included 262.8 million tonnes of coal (+0.9%); 8.6 million tonnes of coke (+10.8%); 156.7 million tonnes of oil and oil products (-2.1%); 84 million tonnes of iron and manganese ore (-3.1%); 51 million tonnes of ferrous metals (+1.1%); 10.4 million tonnes of ferrous metal scrap (+4.1%); 47.1 million tonnes of chemical and mineral fertilizers (+3.9%); 19.2 million tonnes of cement (-2.1%); 20.4 million tonnes of timber cargo (-17.9%); 23.2 million tonnes of grain (+42.9%); 101.2 million tonnes of construction cargo (+0.2%); 13.6 million tonnes of non-ferrous ore and sulfur raw materials (-2.2%); 16.3 million tonnes of chemicals and soda (-5.5%); 23.8 million tonnes of industrial raw materials and molding materials (-0.5%); 88.5 million tonnes of the rest, including cargo in containers (+5.6%).

Year-to-date freight traffic has increased as compared to the same period last year by 1% and reached 1987.7 billion tariff t/km, while taking into account the mileage of empty railroad cars – by 0.1%, to 2467.2 billion t/km.

Loading in September 2023 reached 100.9 million tonnes (+0.2% on the same month of 2022). Freight traffic decreased by 1.1% - to 211.4 billion tariff t/km, while taking into account the mileage of empty railroad cars - by 1.7%, to 261.7 billion t/km.