Russian restrictions and the seizure of dual-use goods have caused Europe-bound rail shipments from China via Russia to plunge, The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on March 11.
Russian authorities in October banned the transit of dual-use military and civilian goods to Europe via its territory. The restrictions apply to a range of goods that could potentially aid Ukraine in its fight against Russia's full-scale war.
Since the ban, rail cargo volumes through Russia from China have been declining for months as Chinese logistics companies lose confidence in the trade route, industry players told SCMP.
"We have not dared to ship (goods through Russian rail routes) since November," Andrew Jiang, general manager of Shanghai freight forwarding company Air Sea Transport, said.
Russia's new restrictions have caused Chinese rail shipments to be sent to Europe via alternative routes that bypass Russia. These include routes through Central Asian countries, such as Kazakhstan.
Many Chinese freight companies learned about the restrictions weeks after their implementation. This has caused thousands of containers to be seized by Russian authorities.
https://kyivindependent.com/europe-bound-chinese-rail-shipments-through-russia- plummet/
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* Origin: Ukraine News from various sources (2:263/1)