EVR Cargo scored the best result in four months in October

Estonian state-owned rail freight operator EVR Cargo’s freight volume reached 891 thousand tons in October, reaching the highest level in the past four months but still staying 37 per cent below last year’s result. The total volume of goods hauled in the first ten months of the year reached 9.6 million tons, staying 25 per cent below last year’s first ten months’ volume.

EVR Cargo’s acting chairman of the board Paul Lukka said despite the overall reduction in volumes during 2015, the past few months have demonstrated a somewhat positive trend, which is likely to continue into the winter months as well. “We are still up against heavy competition from neighbouring corridors who are all pushing for freight flows in a situation where Russia’s demand for import goods is in steady decline,” noted Lukka. “Our overall freight volume is also impacted by a continuous sharp decline in the largest domestic commodity group - oil shale,” added Lukka.

The overall volume of fertilisers in October increased by 16 per cent year-on-year, reaching 330 thousand tons. Mineral liquid fuel volumes decreased by 71 per cent to 150 thousand tons. Dry bulk cargo volumes dropped by 50 per cent to 29 thousand tons. Oil shale volumes were down by 38 per cent, reaching 178 thousand tons and chemical goods volumes decreased by 7 per cent to 112 thousand tons. Container traffic volumes dropped by 60 per cent to 2701 TEUs in October.

The largest trade partner for EVR Cargo in October was Russia, where the total volume of goods exchanged reached 546 thousand tons. Russia was followed by Lithuania with 54 thousand tons, Latvia with 17 thousand tons and Kazakhstan with 10 thousand tons. Trade exchange with Belarus decreased to 7 thousand tons.

Transit freight volumes reached 521 thousand tons in October, forming 58 per cent of the total freight volume and decreasing by 41 per cent compared to October last year.

During the first ten months of the year, EVR Cargo’s total freight volume has reached 9.6 million tons, dropping by 25 per cent compared to last year. The volume of mineral liquid fuels decreased by 38 per cent to 3.14 million tons. The volume of fertilisers has increased by 8 per cent to 3 million tons. The freight volume of chemical goods has reduced by 13 per cent to 965 thousand tons, the volume of oil shale transport has dropped by 34 per cent to 1.4 million tons and the volume of dry bulk cargo by 45 per cent to 331 thousand tons. Container volumes reached 37 849 TEUs in the first ten months, down by 41 per cent from last year.

AS EVR Cargo serves its customers in Estonia on a 1229-kilometre long railway track as well as over the entire 1520-millimeter gauge railway network, the company also has its own fleet of approximately 3000 wagons and 70 locomotives and offers rolling stock repair and maintenance services to its customers.