JSC Ukrzaliznytsia plans to repair 313 locomotives in 2021, having invested more than UAH 4 billion of capital investments, the company’s press service said on Wednesday, with reference to Ukrzaliznytsia board member Frantisek Bures.
Ukrzaliznytsia says that next year it is also planned to repair, modernize and build more than 23,500 new cars. In particular, to build 3,000 new cars, overhaul and modernize more than 20,500 cars.
Earlier, Director of the Cargo Traffic unit at JSC Ukrzaliznytsia Irakli Ezugbaia said that Ukrzaliznytsia intends to increase investments in rolling stock and infrastructure.
“So, if this year capital investments amount to UAH 4.8 billion, then next year we plan to invest UAH 25.8 billion, some UAH 28.4 billion in 2022, and some UAH 41.1 billion in 2023. Thus, we will be able to provide our customers with equal access to the infrastructure and not refuse any one along with the transportation of goods that can be placed at Ukrzaliznytsia,” he said.
Ukrzaliznytsia intends to increase investments in rolling stock and infrastructure, Head of the Freight Transportation division of Ukrzaliznytsia, Irakli Ezugbaya, has said.
“So, if this year capital investments will amount to UAH 4.8 billion, then next year we plan to invest UAH 25.8 billion, in 2022 some UAH 28.4 billion, and in 2023 some UAH 41.1 billion. Due to this, we will be able to provide our customers with equal access to the infrastructure and not refuse any of them along with the transportation of goods that can be placed at Ukrzaliznytsia,” he said in an interview with the Centre for Transport Strategies.
At the same time, Irakli said that Ukrzaliznytsia constantly needs to increase its operating profit.
“In 2020, EBITDA margin indicators are planned at 9.1%. By 2023, we want to increase these indicators to 30%. In my opinion, the cargo business unit should significantly improve its indicators in order to compensate for potential losses from other areas, including passenger transportation. Therefore, in order to reach 23% of EBITDA in 2021, we must reach at least 30% in the cargo direction,” he said.
As reported, Ukrzaliznytsia intends to provide UAH 4.1 billion in the company’s financial plan for 2021 for the overhaul of locomotives.
In 2019, Ukrzaliznytsia increased its net profit by about 14.7 times, to UAH 2.988 billion (UAH 203.85 million in 2018). EBITDA of Ukrzaliznytsia for 2019 increased by 6%, to UAH 17.3 billion compared to the results of last year.
JSC Ukrzaliznytsia is discussing the possibility of carrying out transit container traffic along the China-EU route through the territory of Ukraine, the operator will be Ukrzaliznytsia branch Lisky, the press service of Ukrzaliznytsia reported with reference to executive director of the branch Edvins Berzins.
The company, in particular, notes that negotiations are at the final stage on signing long-term service agreements with DHL, PKP Cargo Connect and BTLC Germany. The agreement with DHL provides for the transportation of containerized cargo throughout Ukraine with the provision of a range of turnkey services at the terminals of the Lisky branch.
Together with PKP Cargo Connect, container trains will be transported from/to Ukrainian railway stations at Polish stations with further transportation to recipients throughout the EU. The agreement with BTLC Germany provides for the transportation of goods en route to China – Ukraine/EU and in the opposite direction.
“Ukraine occupies a strategically important position on the transport routes between Europe and Asia. Previously, this potential was almost never used. Therefore, now one of the priorities of the management of Ukrzaliznytsia is to uncover the possibilities of the railway transport routes of Ukraine and, together with partners from the East and West, to establish a mutually beneficial system of international container transportation,” the press service quoted Berzins as saying.
Ukrzaliznytsia by the end of 2020 expects to see a loss of UAH 12-14 billion.
“My personal vision: we will end this year with a loss of UAH 12-14 billion,” Head of Ukrzaliznytsia JSC Volodymyr Zhmak said at a briefing in Kyiv on Thursday.
At the same time, he said that the company counts on the support of international financial institutions.
“We are counting on our partners from the financial sector, first of all, international financial institutions,” he added.
In January-June 2020, Ukrzaliznytsia saw a net loss of UAH 8.792 billion, while for the same period in 2019 its net profit amounted to UAH 1.065 billion. At the same time, Ukrzaliznytsia’s net income from the sale of products (goods and services) in January-June 2020 amounted to UAH 35.623 billion (a decrease of 19.42% compared to the same period in 2019).
Head of JSC Ukrzaliznytsia Volodymyr Zhmak does not see the need for further purchase of diesel locomotives of the U.S. General Electric.
“As for cooperation with General Electric, today I do not see the need for further purchase of General Electric diesel locomotives. Our goal is to switch to electric locomotives, since it is much more cost efficient,” he said at a press conference on Thursday.
He said that Ukrzaliznytsia has eliminated the shortage of locomotives. “We have the first small achievements. For almost one month since the start of work, we have managed to eliminate the shortage of locomotives,” he said.
According to him, today, for the first time in a long time, Ukrzaliznytsia satisfies all transportation needs.
“There is not a single request for transportation that Ukrzaliznytsia did not satisfy. The market saw that we can transport. We can ship everything and do it quickly,” he added.
JSC Ukrzaliznytsia transported almost 80 million tonnes of cargo in July-September 2020, which is 2.7 million tonnes more than in the same period.
According to the press service of Ukrzaliznytsia on Thursday, October 22, transport volumes in domestic traffic increased by 11.3%, and in export by 1.8% for the specified period.
At the same time, it is noted that in the third quarter, the transportation of mineral construction materials, scrap ferrous metals, cement, and iron and manganese ores increased.
“The new tariff policy, which is now being implemented, will make rail freight transportation even more attractive for a wide range of customers. In particular, the company has already developed a new technology for the transportation of goods by block trains: three methods of calculating the tariff, the final cost depends on the volume of cargo and distance. The customer will be able to plan the turnover and speed of transportation,” Ukrzaliznytsia reported.
