News / Rail freight round-up: Le Shuttle traffic falls; a loco lack in Russia; China-to-Europe rates rise

© Vladimir Grigorev

Europe and Russia may be struggling, as far as rail freight goes, but there are signs that for China, things can only get better, according to The Loadstar‘s latest weekly rail round-up.

GetLink’s half-year results show its LeShuttle Freight services recorded a 4% drop in traffic for the six months to June, with just shy of 602,000 trucks using the service, compared with 624,435 in the period last year.

The operator claimed it had been “penalised by a weak economic environment in the UK and continuing fierce competition from ferry operators”.

Much of the H1 decline can be attributed to a weak first quarter, when truck numbers were down 6% year on year, but only 1% down in Q2. And if June numbers –falling 5%, YoY – are anything to go by, hopes of a second-half uptick may be short-lived.

Further east, there are indications Russia’s seemingly buoyant rail freight sector may be in trouble.h Railfreight.com reports deputy general director of Russian Railways (RZD) Dmitry Pegov is growing increasingly concerned over locomotive shortages.

Mr Pegov reportedly told local media that, by 2035, RZD would be 1,500 locomotives short, with domestic production capabilities ill-equipped to meet the demand for new trains.

His comments come at a difficult time for Russian operators which, while having seen buoyant figures over the past year. following the sanctions-induced turn towards China, have become worried at being usurped in the international markets they were forced to leave.

Furthermore, as reported by The Loadstar in March, a lack of lube has left RZD short on at least 50,000 train services, with delays and suspensions having doubled since 2022.

Not everyone seems to be struggling, however, rates for China Europe services have climbed 10% in the past fortnight, according to quotations seen by The Loadstar.

Average rates being offered by Chinese forwarders on services to Europe have passed $10,000 per 20ft container, with some services being quoted at prices of more than $12,000.

Last week, rates seen by The Loadstar for China to Europe were around $8,000/teu for services departing from central China, while from east coast cities they hovered around the $9,400 mark.