RUSSIA: The RZD Logistics freight forwarding subsidiary of Russian Railways handled more than 56 million tonnes of freight in 2016, a 5% increase on the previous year. The main traffic was coal, metals, ore and containers. The company also handled internal rail logistics totalling more than 11 000 wagons/month for 41 companies on 250 km of industrial tracks.

Container traffic increased by 20% to 95 000 TEU in 2016. This included 12 000 TEU of Russian domestic traffic, and 73 000 TEU of transit freight moving in both directions on the China – Europe corridor. Imports from China to Russia accounted for more than 5 000 TEU, and exports from Russia to China a similar volume. The RZD Express less-than-container-load service saw significant growth to 233 000 tonnes.

‘In 2016, we focused on deeper immersion in the transport infrastructure of our clients’, said RZD Logistics CEO Vyacheslav Valentik on March 3. ‘We optimised supply chain management for them and improved our logistics services. Today, we're seeing the results of our efforts: the growth of key indicators and our client base.'