RZD targets cargo loading to rise 0.85% in March - source
MOSCOW. Feb 29 (Interfax) - Russian Railways (RZD) plans to load an average daily 3.35 million tonnes of cargo onto trains in March, a source with knowledge of the company's plans told Interfax.
This would amount to 103.85 million tonnes in the whole month, 0.85% more than the total of about 102.97 million tonnes in March 2015.
Late last week, the deputy head of RZD's Center of Corporate Transportation Services, Sergei Kolesnikov, said the company expected loading to increase 0.3% in March. Later that day, RZD President Oleg Belozerov said that daily loading in February would be "minus 1%."
RZD's plan for February 2016 targets average daily loading at 3.24 million tonnes, a source told Interfax previously. That results in a monthly total (3.304 million tonnes) about 1.6% greater than in the same month last year, but 1.9% less when adjusted for the additional day in February this year. RZD Vice President Pavel Ivanov also named the 1.6% figure. "The plan for February also sets out an increased commitment, up 1.6% compared to last year's level," he said.
Cargo loading fell 2.9% in January year-on-year to 3.025 million tonnes per day, although RZD had expected loading to rise 3% to 3.207 million tonnes. It expects average daily loading to increase 1.6% in 2016 as a whole, although its financial plan assumes loading will edge up just 0.1% this year.