Exec: Russian Railways keeps 2021 loading growth forecast at 3.3%

MOSCOW, Aug 9 (PRIME) -- Russian Railways has kept the 2021 loading increase forecast at 3.3% in spite of a flood on the Trans-Siberian Railway, Deputy CEO Alexei Shilo said on Monday.

"We have assumed a loading increase of 3.3% for 2021. We are not considering changing the figure even now with the emergencies of July. We think we can fight for the indicator. We see that the goal has become somewhat more difficult but we are positive," Shilo said.

Russian Railways expects loading in August to be the same as in 2020, and in January–August to exceed the figure of the same period of 2020 by 4%.

Coal loading can increase to 378.4 million tonnes in 2021, beating the record of 2018 of 374.9 million tonnes, the official said.

The company forecasts a 2.2% loading increase in 2022 to 1.3 billion tonnes, he said. "This is how clients see the situation today. It may change," Shilo said.

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