Due to investments in the amount of more than 12 billion forints, the volume of grain coming to Hungary by rail from Ukraine through the Zahony transshipment hub will further increase. It is reported by Railway Supply magazine with reference to Kurier Kolejowy.

Zahon
Picture: Attila Vörös. iho.hu

Laszlo Palkovic, Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Hungary, together with David Vitezi, State Secretary for Transport of the same ministry, have had several meetings in recent weeks with all Hungarian stakeholders (transshipment terminals, freight carriers, MÁV, grain association), and for two weeks back also negotiations with the management of Ukrzaliznytsia in Berlin, as a result of which the Hungarian government discussed an application for financing the necessary investments in the Zahony cross-border transshipment hub.

David Vitezi wrote on his Facebook account why the Hungarian railways would be involved in the transportation of Ukrainian grain. “Most of the war-torn country’s income comes from agricultural exports. Africa and the Middle East used to buy large quantities of grain from Ukraine, and if they do not receive it now due to limited capacity in the Black Sea, some countries may face famine. The drought has also forced Hungary this year to import cereals.

Ukrzaliznytsia transported about 11 million tons of cargo in August

Works worth HUF 12.4 billion include the Zahony station, the Zahony marshalling yard and Eperjeske, where tracks that are outdated and damaged in recent decades will be restored. The goal is also to allow the MÁV to intervene quickly to increase capacity in the Zahony area as soon as possible. Work should begin within a few weeks.

“Rail infrastructure, logistics and human resources are facing a huge challenge with the sudden influx of new tasks. Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania must do everything to ensure that as much grain as possible is exported from Ukraine by rail. The increase in traffic is being blocked by broad gauge wagons waiting to be unloaded or already empty, or regular wagons waiting to be loaded. Some tracks are currently closed due to decades of underuse. Our goals now are to open the closed tracks, increase their capacity, reach speeds of 20-40 km/h at marshalling yards and ensure safe working conditions at night.”

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