Russian Railways approves 2023 discounts for container shipments on eastern route of North-South corridor

MOSCOW. Dec 20 (Interfax) - Russian Railways (RZD) , together with the railways of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran, has decided to grant reduced container-kilometer rates in 2023 for using the infrastructure of the eastern route of the North-South international transport corridor that links Russia with countries in the Caspian basin, the Persian Gulf and Central, South and Southeast Asia.

Special rates in the amount of $0.15/TEU-km (gross container weight up to 24 tonnes), $0.18/TEU-km (gross container weight over 24 tonnes) and $0.24/TEU-km will be in effect on the railways of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran, RZD said.

It was reported earlier that RZD would introduce a 20% discount in 2023 for export-import container shipments through border crossings between Russia and Kazakhstan. The discount will be in effect for all of next year on the condition that the freight also proceeds across the Bolashak-Serhetyaka crossing between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.