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Russian Railways forecasts higher freight loading in April, May, data shows growth
Russian Railways expects a 1.6% year-on-year increase in freight loading for April and 2.9% for May, according to Deputy CEO Irina Magnushevskaya. The company reported 94.7 million tons loaded in April, up 1.9% year-on-year, driven by coal, grain, and non-ferrous ore, though full data for the year so far shows a slight decline.
By Tertius News AI Desk1 outlet · 1 distinct · 2 articlesVersion 1Coverage Published
Lead
Russian Railways, the state-owned railway operator, expects freight loading to grow by 1.6% year-on-year in April and by 2.9% in May, according to Deputy CEO Irina Magnushevskaya, as reported by TASS. The company also reported that actual freight loading for April reached 94.7 million tons, a 1.9% increase compared to the same month last year, per the company's statement.
Coverage comparison
Two reports from TASS, the state-run news agency, covered the story from different angles. The first report, published in late April, focused on the company's expectations and forecasts, quoting Deputy CEO Magnushevskaya commenting on the loading plan and potential slippage. The second report, issued in early May, presented the final operational results for April and the first four months of the year, offering a broader view of the company's performance, including details on cargo breakdown and regional dynamics.
Key claims
Russian Railways expects a 1.6% annual increase in freight loading in April and a 2.9% increase in May, according to Deputy CEO Irina Magnushevskaya.
The freight loading plan for the company was set at 96 million metric tons for April, though Magnushevskaya indicated a slip within 1% of that target was possible.
Actual loading during the first 27 days of April totaled 85.3 million metric tons, she said.
Freight loading on the Russian Railways network totaled 94.7 million tons in April, a 1.9% increase year-on-year, according to the company's official statement.
Growth was primarily driven by coal, grain, and non-ferrous ore, with grain shipments nearly doubling and non-ferrous ore rising by 10%, as per the company.
Export freight shipments in the eastern direction increased by 9.1% in April, reaching 14.5 million tons, with notable gains in fertilizers, oil cargoes, and grain.
Freight turnover rose by 4.1% in April compared to the same month in the previous year.
For January through April, total loading amounted to 363.7 million tons, a decrease of 1.9% year-on-year.
Perspectives
The latest data indicate a modest recovery in freight volumes after a soft start to the year. While April saw a year-on-year uptick, the cumulative figure for the first four months remains in negative territory, suggesting that earlier months lagged. Russian Railways attributed April's performance to strong demand for exports towards the east, particularly for fertilizers, oil products, and grain, although it did not specify external market conditions or infrastructure constraints in the report. The company's earlier caution about a potential shortfall in its internal plan, despite the positive year-on-year comparison, hints that seasonal and operational factors continue to influence performance. Magnushevskaya noted that April figures were closely tied to port operations and domestic industrial activity. For May, the company has set a more ambitious target of 97.5 million tons, according to the reports.
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Claim
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Status
ClaimRussian Railways expects a 1.6% annual increase in freight loading in April and a 2.9% annual increase in freight loading in May.