In the first quarter of 2024, there was a significant increase in export traffic by rail towards China, exceeding the previous year by 21.1% and reaching 3.2 million tons. Transportation is particularly active at the Dostyk-Alashankou border crossing, where 2.2 million tons of goods were transported from Kazakhstan to China by rail, marking an increase of 12.3%.
As part of the reform of state regulation of the transportation market, KTZ – Freight Transportation LLP will lose some functions. It is planned to separate the operator of the main railway network into an independent legal entity, independent from KTZ – Freight Transportation LLP. In addition, it is planned to create a mechanism for financing railway infrastructure from the republican budget and attract investment into the freight transportation market.
KTZ presented a draft of a new Regulation on the distribution of freight cars at Kaztemirtrans JSC. The company’s general director, Kairat Saurbaev, notes that the main goal of this initiative is to create fair conditions for all market participants and increase the efficiency of logistics processes.
Important negotiations between the transport ministers of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan focused on joint projects. Marat Karabaev and Ilkhom Makhkamov discussed a wide range of cooperation, including the construction of new transport corridors and infrastructure modernization. One of the key projects was the Darbaza – Maktaaral railway line, which will increase the capacity between the countries by 10 million tons.
At the Dostyk station, at the Dostyk-Alashankou junction, new heights have been achieved in the transportation of goods on a narrow gauge. A record number of export trains, consisting of 796 wagons, delivered 45,767 tons of cargo on the 1520 mm gauge. The station also successfully handled 18 trains, 923 wagons, and transported 13,992 tons of cargo on the 1435 mm gauge. This success became possible thanks to the excellent organization of shunting work and the joint efforts of railway workers and specialists from KTZ-Freight Transportation LLP.
LTG Group and Ukrainian Railways have forged a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), aimed at bolstering international cooperation and establishing a joint intermodal route linking Klaipėda and Kyiv via Poland. This landmark agreement underscores the commitment of both rail carriers to collaborate closely and deploy necessary resources for the successful execution of this project.
In 2023, despite facing a challenging market landscape, the Rail Cargo Group (RCG) remained resilient, ensuring the uninterrupted flow of goods with nearly 420,000 trains put into operation. However, geopolitical tensions and soaring energy costs, triggering an industrial slowdown in crucial markets, led to a notable decrease in demand and capacity utilization for RCG. Particularly impacted were single wagonload transport (SWL) and continental intermodal transport, where rail struggled against the competitive advantage of road transport due to disproportionate cost increases in electricity versus diesel.
At a meeting organized by the Ministry of Transport and JSC NC Kazakhstan Temir Zholy, representatives of the Public Council discussed the development of the Railway Industry Development Program. The company demonstrated new systems, including Trip Optimizer, aimed at improving transportation efficiency, and KTZ Cargo, which ensures transparency of services.
European intermodal transport faced a 3.89% decline in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period last year, according to the International Union for Road-Rail Combined Transport (UIRR). However, this decrease was less severe than in previous quarters, indicating a potential return to a positive trend in the upcoming months.
Deutsche Bahn (DB) marked a significant milestone in its Rhine Valley Railway upgrade project, enhancing freight transport efficiency along the Karlsruhe-Basel route. The newly inaugurated freight tracks at the Weil am Rhein border crossing, operational as of April 29, 2024, signify a vital development in Europe’s Rhine-Alpine Corridor rail infrastructure.
