NLR line kicks off

Expansion of bulk facilities around the Baltic Sea continues despite the geopolitics, commodity price shifts and environmental pressures.

Russian Railways (RZD) is planning to construct a 5 Mtpa cargo handling terminal at Balikpapan harbour on the eastern shore of the island of Kalimantan (Borneo) by 2020.

Russian Railways (RZD) and Gazprom are about to sign a concession agreement for the construction of the Northern Latitudinal Railway (NLR), a 700 km-long line linking the Polar Urals’ mineral deposits with the country’s Polar harbours.

Greece’s new government has confirmed it will invite Russian investors to the privatisation of Greek state-run transport assets. Since March 2013, Russian Railways (RZD) has been in talks with Athens over the possible acquisition of the Greek national rail operator TrainOSE, Hellenic Company for Rolling Stock Maintenance and the country’s second largest seaport of Thessaloniki.

In April Russian Railways (RZD) signed a MoU with Thailand’s mining group Banpu Public Company Ltd for the construction, development and operation of rail infrastructure and a port coal terminal on Indonesia’s island of Kalimantan (Borneo).

The conflict in eastern Ukraine has damaged transport infrastructure and is forcing shippers to find alternative logistics solutions.