In January–November 2025, freight traffic volumes across the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy network reached 287.9 million tons, a 4% increase compared to the same period last year. Export traffic increased by 6.5% to 80.2 million tons, while domestic traffic increased by 2.5% to 161.4 million tons, confirming the company’s steady growth in transportation activities.
Construction of a new intermodal logistics hub of pan-European significance – the second container terminal for METRANS Group in Hungary, part of HHLA – has officially begun in Szeged, Hungary. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó, HIPA Chairman István Jóó, Szeged Mayor László Botka, and METRANS CEO Peter Kiss. The new terminal is scheduled to open in 2027, strengthening Hungary’s position in European supply chains and boosting the region’s competitiveness.
In Kazakhstan, the volume of freight transport by sea for January–November 2025 reached 3.62 million tons, a 41.4% increase compared to the same period last year. These data were released by the Bureau of National Statistics of the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms. The growth in freight turnover indicates the increasing role of maritime logistics in the country’s export, import, and transit flows.
Global container shipping continues to undergo rapid transformation, opening up new opportunities for shippers, and CF&S is supporting clients through these changes. A significant milestone was the completion of the Sea Legend’s voyage from China to Northern Europe via the Northern Sea Route in just 20 days – significantly faster than traditional routes through the Suez Canal or around the Cape of Good Hope. At the same time, carriers are reassessing their service networks: Interasia Lines, Namsung, OOCL, and Shanghai Jin Jiang have joined the FCS3/SJJ route, while Sinokor has reallocated capacity to the FIX/IFX2/CIE service in partnership with SeaLead, Sinotrans, and T.S. Lines.
For the first time in its history, China’s trade surplus exceeded $1 trillion, reaching $1.076 trillion over the 11 months. This record was set amid a partial détente in relations with the United States – in October, Beijing and Washington agreed to a year-long trade truce. However, US tariffs on Chinese goods remain in place, and certain product categories remain subject to strict tariff restrictions, forcing China to actively restructure its export strategy.
On January 6, 2026, Contargo will launch the first train of the new Straubing Nordhafen Shuttle service, which will connect the container terminal in Straubing, Bavaria, with German North Sea ports. Initially, the shuttle will operate three round trips per week on a fixed schedule, offering companies in the region a sustainable and environmentally friendly container transport solution. The first train will depart from Hamburg on January 6, and bookings are now open.
The Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine launched the Transport Data Hub, a new analytical platform for working with data in the fields of transport, mobility, and logistics. The launch was announced by Oleksiy Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction of Ukraine and Minister for Development of Communities and Territories. According to him, this fundamentally changes the approach to planning transport routes, infrastructure, border processes, and investments, as previously decisions were often made without a full understanding of the actual flows of people and cargo. Now, the government, communities, and businesses have a unified analytical framework for their daily work and decision-making.
On December 16, the opening ceremony for two modern warehouse complexes was held in the Free Economic Zone of the Port of Gdansk. Solid Port, a key player in the Inner Port, held the opening ceremony. The facilities, built on a plot leased from the port authority for 30 years, consist of rectangular steel tent hangars measuring 40 x 60 meters with a ridge height of 14.5 meters. The walls and roof are made of durable PVC coating, and the warehouses themselves are designed for storing organic fertilizers.
The Kostanay freight branch of KTZ – Freight Transportation LLC continues to demonstrate steady growth in container shipment volumes. According to Kenes Dyusekeyev, Head of the Branch’s Logistics Department, during the first 11 months of 2025, 22,905 flatcars with a total weight of 1.377 million tons and 44,552 containers were loaded, forming 704 block trains.
With the introduction of the new 2025/2026 timetable, Frankfurt-based Kombiverkehr KG has undertaken a major modernization of its intermodal rail services between Germany and Spain. The operator has launched optimized direct trains, increased service frequency, and implemented a new operating model focused on greater service flexibility and sustainability for freight forwarders and logistics companies. According to Cébastien Eisner, Sales Manager for Western Europe, the updated concept opens up a “new future” for shipments to Spain, combining high-performance rail service with Kombiverkehr’s presence at the Barcelona Morrot terminal.
