Kazakhstan bans shipping number of goods to China via Dostyk border crossing until Dec 25 owing to poor weather

ASTANA. Dec 13 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan's railway operator, Temir Zholy (KTZ), has instituted a ban on shipping several types of cargo to China through the Dostyk border crossing until December 25, KTZ's press service said in a statement.

KTZ said that extremely unfavorable weather conditions have developed at the stations at Dostyk, Kazakhstan, and Alashankou, China, which is why receiving cargo from Kazakhstan to China was slowed down. "Particularly, China is not receiving grain carriers, covered railway cars with grain cargo and milled products, as well as railway tanks with vegetable oils. Terminal operations at Alashankou station have been suspended," according to the statement.

KTZ also said that the transfer of trains was stopped completely on the night of December 12 to 13; and the average daily train exchange dropped from 15 to three trains during the day.

"In this regard, KTZ has introduced a ban until December 25 of this year on receiving cargo in containers, grain carriers, grain cargo in covered wagons, and vegetable oils in tanks through the Dostyk border crossing," KTZ reports.