The first sixty railcars laden with cement have arrived at Kaliningrad after Lithuania imposed restrictions on freight transit to Kaliningrad region via its territory.
On July 26, Kaliningrad region Governor Anton Alikhanov welcomed the train at the Kaliningrad-Sortirovochny railway station, the press office of the regional government reports.
The train delivered almost 4,000 tons of cement for Kaliningrad companies.
Meanwhile, the ban on road transit to Kaliningrad remains in force, Alikhanov reminded adding that implementing quotas for Kaliningrad-designated freight is a gross violation of the international law. ‘We insist on lifting those restrictions,’ he said.
Logistics schemes to deliver cargo to Kaliningrad are changing with freight flows being reoriented to sea, Alikhanov noted. At present, nine vessels are deployed between St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad.
Additional capacity will be added depending on the demand. In autumn, the railway ferry “General Chernyakhovsky” currently under construction will join the fleet serving the exclave region.
Also, subsidizing Russian companies that provide shipping freight be sea to Kaliningrad region is being considered. According to Alikhanov, the RF Ministry of transport has submitted a draft decree on the subject to the RF Government.
‘This will allow us of maintaining low rates so that the prices for commodities that switch to ferries should not be affected,’ he explained.
Photo: Kaliningrad region government press office