Transit through Ukraine due to COVID-19 falls by 20%, but there is positive trend from Nov 2020 – Ukrzaliznytsia head

Transit by rail through Ukraine in connection with the quarantine imposed due to the spread of COVID-19, as well as the economic decline worldwide fell by about 20%, said head of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia (UZ) Volodymyr Zhmak.

"Currently, transit, which is one of the most profitable activities for us, has significantly decreased, by about 20%. But this was due to both quarantine restrictions and the economic decline that was observed throughout the world. There has been a positive trend since November 2020," he said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

Zhmak noted that currently the most potentially interesting direction for UZ in this industry is container transportation along the Silk Road.

"If last year we received about 20 container trains, then in just two months of this year four trains have already come to us and another 27 trains in transit through Ukraine. We want to ensure that the container train arrives almost daily," the head of the company stressed.

He added that UZ is also working on the development of the Turkey – Odesa – North (Baltic, Scandinavian) direction, as well as transit to Ukrainian ports.

"Ukrainian ports are very interesting for consignors of neighboring countries, and I look very positively at the further development of transit," the head of UZ summed up.

Source: www.en.interfax.com.ua