New political strategies aim at a Eurasian platform every day more connected by rail freight transport. Therefore, either we are taking about the Trans-Siberian Network, the Trans-Asian Network, the North-South Corridor (Russia-Iran and then to India), the new (Iron) Silk Road or the recently launched freight routes from Germany to Russia and China, these are only few of the attempts to revive and at the same time strengthen the position of long-distance rail freight transport with the purpose of emphasising its advantages compared to maritime transport from the point of view of a much more reduced travel time.
Already, several countries in Central Asia and the Caucasus have begun to share a railway network similar to the European TEN-T, such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekisan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Turmenistan and Russia (which already had a very vast railway network, but consolidates their strategic position in the Eurasian platform through massive investments in railway and intermodal transport). Ports which have a railway network benefit from increasing awareness and promotion.
Many governments, from both Europe and the Eurasian platform, are currently trying to encourage shippers to use trains more often because of the environmental benefits, although the main disadvantage of rail freight is its lack of flexibility, but also the presence of physical and non-physical barriers which have prevented the railway traffic of freight along international corridors. Practices such as containerization aim at minimizing these costs. The main goal of creating rail freight dedicated routes in the Eurasian platform is to eliminate barriers, at least administrative obstacles, by underlining the advantages of railway routes against maritime long-distance routes. Once fina-lized, the North-South Corridor will be another example to support long-distance rail routes as it will significantly reduce the time goods spend on the road from the present 45-60 days to up to 25-30 days. A good example to underline these advantages comes from Japan whose Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has financed a test goods transport from Hamada to Vladivostok on the sea and then from Vladivostok to Moscow on the railways. The result? The transport took 30 days compared to the 50 days of the exclusive sea transport from Hamada to the Russian western ports. Moreover, the above-mentioned ministry is now trying to encourage other companies to use the Trans-Siberian route against the sea route.
It is expected that any new inland cargo movements across Asia will be diverted away from maritime shipping and the level of diverted traffic will depend on the net benefits to freight customers offered by the railways over sea carriers.
Share on:
