LTG: more x-ray machines on the borders as smuggling investigation continues
LTG Infra and the Lithuanian Customs Office step up their attempts to control and restrict smuggling and sanction circumvention attempts via rail. In this context, they aim to deploy two x-ray machines at the Kybartai...Read more
No more transit of sanctioned goods in Turkey, for now
Turkish customs authorities are reported to have put a sudden stop to the transit transport of sanctioned goods to Russia and Belarus. Cargo that is sanctioned by the EU can no longer be shipped through...Read more
New package of EU sanctions on Russia: what is the impact?
On February 25, the European Union issued the 10th package of sanctions against Russia. What could possible impact rail freight between China and Europe is the prohibition to transit dual-use goods and firearms via the...Read more
Lithuanian customs seize tonnes of Belarusian sanctioned cargo and proceed to arrests
The Lithuanian Customs Criminal Service has been conducting an off-the-radar investigation on the possible smuggling of sanctioned fertilisers from Belarus. The authority says that it has seized 3,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser worth 2 million...Read more
These Silk Road product trends might be worth your attention
Endless lines of text have been written in the past months to analyse and assess the development of Eurasian rail transport. The drop in Silk Road volumes in 2022 was apparent due to all the...Read more
‘Belarusian schemes’ behind possible sanction circumvention on Lithuanian rail
Investigative journalists in Lithuania and Belarus claim to have exposed a series of sanction circumventions by Belarus concerning the transport of fertilisers by rail. The Lithuanian transport minister Marius Skuodis commented that broken sanction rules...Read more
LTG Cargo reduces Kaliningrad transit volumes in 2023
LTG Cargo, the freight subsidiary of Lithuanian Railways, is set to reduce rail-borne volumes transiting to and from Kaliningrad via Lithuania in 2023. The company, which transported eight million tonnes of cargo to and from...Read more
Russian Railways chief charged for using rail in war
The head of Russian Railways, Oleg Belozyorov, has been charged in absentia by the Ukrainian Security Service. The authority said they gathered evidence that he “organised the delivery by rail of Russian armored vehicles and...Read more
Will anyone transport nickel from Russia to Europe next year?
The Finnish railway company VR will stop transporting nickel from Russia to Europe in 2023, as it has announced a full stop of any Russian cargo per 1 January. However, the commodity is in high...Read more
Operail stops transport of Russian and Belarusian goods on 1 January
UPDATEThe Estonian state-owned rail freight company Operail will stop transporting cargo originating from Russia or Belarus per 1 January 2023. It made this decision earlier, in May this year, but a transition period was needed...Read more
Not complying with sanctions a criminal offence in all EU countries
The European Commission has proposed to harmonise criminal offences and penalties for the violation of EU sanctions. Before this turns into legislation, RailFreight.com takes a closer look at what this could mean for a logistics...Read more
Russian Railways feels neglected by EU, urges to lift sanctions
Russian Railways has sent an appeal to the Council of the European Union with the urgent request to lift the sanctions that apply to the railway company. It has asked to be exempted from these...Read more
‘What do European companies need to return to the Silk Road?’
VIDEOThe New Silk Road is still growing, despite a slowdown due to the war in Ukraine. There are strong trends regarding new commodities and traffic between China and Russia is on the rise. However, European...Read more
Estonia wants to sanction RZD, but its rail sector does not agree
In the wake of a new sanction round on Russia by the EU, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposed direct sanctions on Russian Railways, which would mean the complete stoppage of business between Estonian...Read more
Russian rail sector moves towards recession this year
The Russian rail and wagon-building sector are getting a hard hit from ongoing military conflict in Ukraine and the ever-tightening sanctions from West, and the situation is gradually deteriorating. This is according to recent statements...Read more
Belarus finds new rail routes to export goods amidst sanctions
Belarusian Railways says it has developed a total of 40 new export routes to more than 20 countries, now that sanctions have cut off its traditional routes to the global market. The Transport and Communications...Read more
Latvia sees startling increase in transit cargo from Central Asia
Cargo turnover at Latvian ports reached 23,58 million tonnes in the first half of 2022, an increase of 15,2 per cent compared to 2021 and equivalent to 3,1 million tonnes of cargo. This increase was...Read more
Kazakhstan proposes ban of sanctioned goods to Russia and Belarus
Kazakhstan may soon ban shipments of sanctioned goods to Russia and Belarus though its territory. The Ministry of Finance has recently drawn up a directive, targeting goods subject to sanctions by the EU and the...Read more
Russian Railways reduces transit to Poland due to sanctions
Russian Railways will partially suspend the transit of specific products through Belarus on the way to Poland. The company announced concisely a couple of days ago that “shipments of certain goods routed to Poland by...Read more