Poland is discussing the possibility of blocking rail transport of goods from China through the Russian Federation and Belarus in Malaszewicze (a station on the border with Belarus).

Block for Russian and Belarusian cargo

This is reported by the railway magazine Railway Supply with reference to bialasiedzieje.pl.

The publication notes that, despite the Russian attack on Ukraine, the volume of cargo in transit through the territory of the aggressor state and its henchman has not yet decreased.

The Cargotor operator, which planned to build a logistics park in Malaszewicze, does not comment on the situation. Although Cargotor reported in February that traffic growth was recorded in January: by 25% on the 1520 mm gauge and by 11% on the 1435 mm gauge. These are the highest results for the entire existence of the company (since 2013).

In January, Cargotor also applied to the European Implementing Agency for Climate, Infrastructure and Environment for co-financing the project “Modernization of the railway infrastructure in the Malaszewicze transshipment area on the EU border with Belarus” in the amount of PLN 3.2 billion.

The initiative was to create thousands of jobs. However, PKP Cargo, which owns shares in Cargotor, avoids revealing its own intentions.

At the same time, the Railway Market publication predicts that the Russian aggression against Ukraine may even lead to the complete closure of the eastern border of the European Union for rail transport.

“This means, among other things, the suspension of transport by the Polish New Silk Road, which in recent years has significantly contributed to the development of intermodal transport,” the publication explains.

Earlier, the appeal of Ukrzaliznytsia to cancel cooperation with the railways of the Russian Federation and Belarus was supported by a number of organizations in the Polish railway industry: the Union of Independent Railway Carriers, the Railway Business Forum, the Prokolej Foundation and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Land Transport.

“Both companies (Russian Railways and Belarusian Railways – ed.) are actively involved in an unjust, brutal war, providing logistics for the armies of the Russian Federation and Belarus. Thus, every zloty or every euro of the profits of these railways can and is very likely to be used to achieve the criminal goals of the war, in particular the transport of weapons for attacks on both military and civilian targets.

Also, representatives of the railway industry called for the introduction of the maximum possible sanctions against the railways of the Russian Federation and Belarus: “This is painful for the industry and our customers, but this is a necessary measure that needs to be taken in order to stop supporting Russian and Belarusian military vehicles sent to Ukraine.”

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