The EU Parliament’s plenary session on 5 May adopted a resolution for more sanctions on Russia and extra support for the transport sector. Rail was not explicitly mentioned, despite the parliament acknowledging that “the conflict...Read more
Finnish state-controlled rail company VR Group is racing to terminate transport agreements with customers on the Russian route. The company sped up the gradual phase-out of traffic to and from Russia and started concluding agreements...Read more
State-owned Estonian company Operail has been the focal point of discussions lately. Operail is accused of continuing business with Russia despite the war and the imposed sanctions because of leasing wagons used in the war...Read more
Lithuanian Railways are forced to release around 2,000 employees in an attempt to cope with the increasing financial losses. The company has consulted with employee representatives and will proceed to their release in a controlled...Read more
Kazakhstan may be seen as the country that links Europe and China in whatever way possible, but this should not be taken for granted. Kazakhstan may be subject to sanctions too, is the worry among...Read more
Rail freight traffic between Finland and Russia will gradually cease after the existing transport contracts of state-controlled company VR Group end. For now, traffic is still possible. However, in the following months, this will not...Read more
The deal is sealed. CMA CGM is acquiring nearly 100 per cent of the shares of GEFCO, the European automotive logistics leader. This was announced by the logistics giant on Friday 8 April. The acquisition...Read more
The Finnish railway company VR will completely stop rail freight transport to neighboring Russia in the nearby future. This was decided by the board of the firm on Wednesday 6 April. It had made this...Read more
The French logistics service provider Gefco, together with its largest customer, the French-Italian car manufacturer Stellantis (including Peugeot, Fiat, Citroën, Chrysler and Opel), is at the verge of completing a complete takeover of the majority...Read more
The lack of traffic from Belarus and Russia, which is impossible to replace fully, and the continuously dropping rail freight volumes have the Latvian Railway cornered. According to the Latvian transport minister Tālis Linkaits, the...Read more
UPDATEThree days after suspending traffic between Finland and Russia, VR Group can resume it. Effective from Wednesday, 30 March, the decision to restart rail freight operations to and from Russia results from further consultation with...Read more
A new set of sanctions has been approved by the European Union, targeting “individuals and entities involved in the Russian aggression of Ukraine, as well as several sectors of the Russian economy”. This was announced...Read more
More and more companies are taking a stance and choose to avoid the New Silk Road through Russia, responding to the invasion of Russia in Ukraine. Transit traffic through Russia may be possible technically, but...Read more
The EU has approved heavy sanctions against Russia in response to the military attack on Ukraine. How does this affect rail freight on the New Silk Road, which runs largely through Belarus and Russia? We...Read more
In addition to harsh sanctions imposed on Russia, the EU has announced a list of sanctions on Belarus, responding to its aid to Russia in the war in Ukraine. These sanctions were announced on Sunday...Read more
The EU has officially adopted sanctions against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. The European Council decided to enforce “massive and severe consequences” for Russia that can be summarised in five main pillars: financial sector,...Read more
Iran is negotiating with Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, and Greece to launch a new multimodal corridor. The Persian Gulf-Black Sea project will connect the two regions using rail and sea links. It is an ambitious...Read more
The Belarussian government is ready to respond to Lithuania’s ban on transporting Belarusian potash fertilisers through its territory. The “harsh response measures”, as Prime Minister of Belarus Roman Golovchenko described them, could see the ban...Read more
