Rail freight transport between Estonia, Russia remains on decline

According to Russia's national railway company Russian Railways, the freight volumes in the direction of Estonia are still declining, the news agency Interfax reported on Wednesday.
"Last year, freight flows decreased 18 percent to 10.6 million tons," read information materials distributed at the Council for Railway Transport of CIS countries held in Tallinn. "The negative dynamics continue this year as well, as in the first half of the year freight volumes declined 19 percent to 4.5 million tons."
The decline in freight flows was a result of a decrease in the transit and export of oil products and black metal, the materials also noted.
Carriage with large containers has declined as well. In 2015, the decrease registered in the transport of sea containers via rail toward Russia was 40 percent and the first half of this year has already seen a decline of an additional 15 percent as well.
According to Russian Railways, the Estonian transport sector specializes in reloading transit goods, most of which is made up of Russian exports, primarily oil products, coal and fertilizers. Most of the freight transported via rail between Russia and Estonia passes through either the Koidula or Narva border crossing points.
At the same time, however, transport of passengers between the two countries has increased seven percent during the first six months of 2016.
Editor: Editor: Aili Vahtla
Source: BNS