Transcontainer might build terminal on China-Kazakhstan border
MOSCOW. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Russian Railways (RZD) subsidiary OJSC Transcontainer does not rule out the future possibility of building a terminal at the dry port in Khorgos, on Kazakhstan's border with China, the container carrier's chief executive, Pyotr Baskakov told reporters on Tuesday.
"We will consider the possibility of building container yards in Khorgos, participating in such container yards," Baskakov said, adding that "this will be a little later."
"Now, in 2012, definitely not, we're not planning to at the moment," he said.
Kazakhstan is developing an international center for border cooperation in Khorgos with the construction of the Khorgos-Zhetygen railroad. It will become the second border crossing on the border with China. The corridor will slash the distance from China to the southern regions of Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries by 550 km, creating opportunities to significantly expand transshipments, including from Russia.
In future, there are plans to create the Khorgos Eastern Gateway free economic zone, which would include an industrial park, a dry port transportation and logistics center with links to rail lines and the Western Europe - Western China highway.
Transcontainer is interested in Kazakhstan as a transit country for freight between Europe and Asia. The Russian railroad company in March 2011 acquired 67% of shares in Kazakh transport and logistics operator Kedentransservice (KTS), the other shareholder of which is national railroad monopoly Kazakhstan Temir Zholy. Through KTS, the partners intend to organize a direct service through Kazakhstan and Russia, build integrated infrastructure for processing freight, as well as jointly optimize terminal facilities related to transshipments.
Transcontainer operates high capacity containers and the flat cars that carry them, and has a network of terminals in Russia and Slovakia. RZD owns 50% plus one share in the operator, the Fesco transportation group owns 21.1%, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development holds 9.25% and Transfingroup owns 6.6%.
