Belarus’ rail cargo traffic to Russia grows 4% in Jan-Aug to 27m tonnes

<p> MINSK, Oct 6 - PrimePress. Belarus increased cargo transportation by rail to Russia by 4% year on year in January-August 2021 to 27 million tonnes. </p> <p>   </p> <p> Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko made a statement to this effect at a meeting with Russian Minister of Transport Vitaly Savelyev in Minsk on 6 October. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “Positive dynamics remains in place, including within the framework of the Belarus-Russia intergovernmental agreement on transshipment of Belarusian oil products. I thank our Russian colleagues for implementing this agreement in a short time and quickly building up an effective scheme, ensuring effective logistics and economic benefits for all parties. I think we can build on this successful example and work in a similar vein in other areas,” said Golovchenko. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “Belarus is an exporting country. Sustainable logistics is extremely important to us because two-thirds of the national output are bound for export. The landlocked countries, like Belarus, should build effective and sustainable routes to transport its goods,” said Golovchenko. </p> <p>   </p> <p> “Uninterrupted supplies of goods and movement of citizens depend on it. This is why maintaining contacts and dialogue is extremely important. It is of utmost importance for our country given the international pressure, which is absolutely unfair. In particular, the restrictions imposed in the aviation are abnormal and go contrary to all norms of international law,” said Golovchenko. He expressed his gratitude to the Russian side for support. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, prime ministers of Belarus and Russia Golovchenko and Mikhail Mishustin on April 16, 2021 discussed the possibility of transshipment of potash fertilizers through Russian seaports on the Baltic Sea in the framework of the relevant intergovernmental agreement of February 19, 2021 on the transshipment of Belarusian oil products in 2021-2023. According to Golovchenko, the Belarusian side is ready to invest in the construction of a port terminal. </p> <p>   </p> <p> As previously reported, RZD Deputy CEO Alexei Shilo told reporters on 9 Apr 2021 that Russian Railways (RZD) was ready to carry the necessary volumes of fertilizers and timber from Belarus through Russian ports for export, offering alternatives via North-West, South, and the Far East. Shilo clarified with regard to Belaruskali products that RZD could facilitate the delivery of around 12 million tonnes of potash fertilizers per year. </p> <p>   </p> <p> On 16 Aug 2021, Minister of Transport and Communications Alexei Avramenko told reporters that Belarus was considering Russian ports in Leningrad Region and Murmansk an alternative to the export flow of Belarusian potash fertilizers via Lithuania. </p> <p>   </p> <p> On 12 Aug 2021, Lithuanian Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis informed that the export flow of Belarusian potash fertilizers produced by companies hit by US sanctions will be stopped in December 2021. In his words, banks will stop accepting for payment invoices for services in respect of sanctioned entities. Consequently, in order to avoid risks, companies will not want to deal with them. End </p>

2021-10-07

Primepress