PRESS: Eastward exports of 80 mln tns of goods stuck on railway

MOSCOW, Oct 19 (PRIME) – About 80 million tonnes of cargo that the railway failed to send to the east in January–September causing 1.5 trillion rubles of revenue loss for the Russian cargo consignors, business daily Vedomosti reported on Wednesday citing Far East Development Minister Alexei Chekunkov.

The official said that railways are overloaded with coal in the area, and exports of more profitable goods, such as metals, fertilizers and timber, get stuck. Before sanctions restrictions, these types of cargo were carried via the Southern and Western ports.

According to Chekunkov, in order to solve the issue, the Northern Sea Route must be used more extensively, but more icebreakers and ice-class ships must be built.

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