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Russian Railways head: European countries interested in UTLC project

“We speak of the transport corridor from the Pacific to Atlantic", Vladimir Yakunin told

MOSCOW, September 29. /ITAR-TASS/. European counties have displayed an interest in the United Transport and Logistics Company (UTLC), head of the JSC Russian Railways (RZD) Vladimir Yakunin told Itar-Tass in an interview.

“We speak of the transport corridor from the Pacific to Atlantic. This formula was once used by President Putin, and it absolutely meets the modern requirements. Even in the sanctions conditions Italy, Spain, Austria and Germany have displayed an interest in it,” he said. “UTLC should give an impetus to the development of the transport sphere of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) countries, on the other hand it is a good instrument for the expansion of our co-operation with Asian, first of all Chinese railways,” the RZD head said, adding that the talk of UTLC monopoly is premature today. “Unfortunately, railway transport so far accounts for less than 30% of container transportation,” he said. 

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The national railway companies of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus concluded the UTLC creation agreement in June 2013. In October 2013, the sides agreed on the basic principles of the UTLC creation and activity. The company will engage in the transportation of container cargoes within the framework of the common economic space, including on transit routes between Europe and Asia.

The company is being created by RZD jointly with Kazakhstan’s railway company KTZ (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy) and Belarusian Railways (BZD). RZD contributes to UTLC 50% of Transcontainer it owns and 100% of RZD Logistics, KTZ - shares of its subsidiaries (JSC Kaztransservis and JSC Kedentransservis), and Belarusian Railways - terminals in Brest and assets of Belintertrans.