Cargo transportation across the Eastern Polygon grew by 6.6% to 13.8 million tonnes in March
Daily records were renewed several times
In March 2023, cargo transportation across the Eastern Polygon rose by 6.6%, year-on-year, to 13.8 million tonnes, according to Russian Railways’ statement on its Telegram.
“The construction is underway with the second phase of BAM and Transsib being in full swing. The introduction of new facilities and opening of the working traffic in some sectors let send more trains,” reads the statement.
Russian Railways says the records were renewed several times with the maximum level achieved on March 31 - 515 thousand tonnes.
As IAA PortNews reported earlier, modernization of the Eastern Polygon of railways which is underway in pursuance of the presidential order is to result in the increase the BAM and the Transsib export capacity 1.5 times to 180 million tonnes per year by 2024.
The turn of the cargo flows to the Far East has drastically increased the timing requirements on modernization of the Eastern Polygon, Yury Trutnev, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation - Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, said in July 2022 at the meeting in Khabarovsk. According to him, BAM and Transsib failed to deliver 70 million tonnes of cargo in 2021. In 2022, that volume reached 100 million tonnes as the demand is as high as 258 million tonnes.
According to the Ministry of Economic Development, export/import traffic across the Eastern Polygon totaled 157.4 million tonnes in 2021. Taking into account the forecast of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic, eastwards cargo flows by the railway will reach at least 219 million tonnes per year by 2030.
Russian Railways earlier announced plans to carry about 160 million tonnes in 2023 due to implementation of some technological activities within the Eastern Polygon.
