OREANDA-NEWS. February 11, 2010. International freight between Russia and Estonia increased by 2.1 million tons or 12% in 2009 compared to the previous year to reach 19.8 million tons, including 18.4 million tons of exports, 640,700 tons of imports and 776,200 tons of transit freight, reported the press-centre of RZD.

The growth in volume was due to greater shipments of coal, which rose were up 1.5 million tons, a fivefold increase, coke, which increased by 3,700 tons (+43%), oil products, which saw a slight rise of 183,600 tons or +1% , timber, up 4,900 tons (+12%) and fertilizer, which rose by a factor of 2.8 to 898,600 tons.

Cross-border transport of goods between Russia and Latvia via third countries increased by 389,000 tons (+1%) and amounted to 34.4 million tons, including 32.5 million tons of exports, 530,300 tons of imports and 1.4 million tons of transit freight. The increased volumes resulted from shipments of oil products rising by 1.7 million tons (+25%) and of ferrous metals by 102,000 tons (+25%).

Export shipments increased by 1.4 million tons (+ 5%), with oil up by 2.1 million tons (+ 34%) and fertilizers by 9,800 tons (100% yoy). However, transit flows fell 1.5 times to 1.1 million tons, a decline of 0.6 million tons.

The volume of international shipments between Russia and Lithuania via third countries fell by 1.6 million tons (-23%) and amounted to 5.4 million tons, including 4.3 million tons of exports, 491,400 tons of imports and 599,300 tons of transit freight.

The decline in freight between the two countries was due to reduced shipments of coal, down by 161,600 tons (-49%), oil products, down by 756,100 tons (-31%), ores, down by at 3,700 tons (- 86%), ferrous metals, down by 488,200 tons (-65%), timber, down by 36,300 tons (-41%), building materials, which saw a fall of 91,700 tons (-35% ) and miscellaneous other goods, which declined by 180,900 tons (-11%).