COMMENT | 17.05.2012

Competition in Current Uncoupling Repair: Pros and Cons

Recently there was an opinion that competition in the wagon current uncoupling repair sector is not efficient and even harmful. Nowadays, almost all participants in the transport process, including Russian Railways JSC, believe that competition will make for a better quality of services.

INTERVIEW | 10.05.2012

The Decision Will Affect Everyone’s Interests

Evgeny DrachevThe transfer to a single tariff on empty mileage regardless the cargo carried by the rolling stock earlier is a logical step made by the Federal Tariff Service (the FTS) and RZD in the framework of the railway structural reform. This measure, however, is not profitable for all market players. Evgeny Drachev, Director for Economy and Finance of TransLes LLC, talks about his vision of the situation.

NEWS

Nabucco Consortium Proposes 67% Cut in Pipeline Length

17.05.2012 (15:51)

The Nabucco Consortium, which is developing the Nabucco gas pipeline, has presented a modified pipeline concept with one third the length of the original proposal to developers of Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz II gas field, a possible core supply source for Nabucco, the consortium said on Thursday.

RZD in Talks over Kenya Projects

17.05.2012 (15:49)

State-owned railroad operator Russian Railways (RZD) is involved in negotiations on carrying out railroad construction projects in Kenya, the company's President Vladimir Yakunin told reporters.

NLMK Announces Its Consolidated US GAAP Results for Q1 2012

17.05.2012 (15:42)

In Q1, average steel product sales prices of Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) softened 5% quarter-on-quarter driven by the negative market sentiment in the previous quarter. As a result, the Group’s revenue increased marginally to US$3.1 billion (+1.3% q-o-q), driven by the 9% growth in sales (to 3.9 million tonnes).

RF Government Halts Aircraft Leasing Subsidies

17.05.2012 (11:47)

The Russian government has stopped subsidizing lease payments to airlines for the acquisition of Russian-made aircraft, removing an important incentive for buying planes from domestic manufacturers, RBC Daily reported today.

TransContainer to Splash out on Dividends

17.05.2012 (11:45)

TransContainer board of directors has recommended paying out dividends for 2011 in the amount of RUB 87.68 (approx. USD 2.83) per share, up from RUB 2.91 (approx. USD 0.09) in 2010, the container transportation company said in a statement.

Russian Oil Companies Face Tank Wagons Shortage

17.05.2012 (11:44)

Russia may face a new fuel crisis due to a lack of railroad tank cars, oil companies warned. After several large accidents on the railway network, The Federal Service for Transport Supervision (Rostransnadzor) took out of exploitation over 30% of tank wagons for oil and petrochemicals. Several large refineries may reduce production volume or stop production because of the lack of raw materials.

Kazakhstan: Increase in Passenger Transportation by Railway

17.05.2012 (11:24)

Since the beginning of 2012, Passenger Transport JSC, a subsidiary of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy JSC, serviced more than 5.5 million passengers. In contrast with data for four months of the previous year this indicator increased by 14.3%. During the same period in 2011 the total number of serviced passengers was 4.8 million.

EXHIBITIONS AND CONFERENCES

SIGNALLING AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS: ASIA 2012

16.05.2012 - 18.05.2012

Thailand, Bangkok

RORO 2012

22.05.2012 - 24.05.2012

Sweden, Gothenburg

The Future of AirRail

24.05.2012 - 25.05.2012

Sweden, Stockholm

PRESS REVIEW

Finnmark, Murmansk welcomes visa-freedom

17.05.2012 (11:05) | BarentsObserver.com

Finnmark Governor Runar Sjåstad had first meeting with newly appointed Murmansk Governor Marina Kovtun two weeks before introduction of visa-freedom in the border areas between the two neighbors.

Airlines Push for Passenger Blacklist

17.05.2012 (11:01) | The Moscow Times

Ill-tempered air travelers might want to think twice before throwing a fit at 35,000 feet on Aeroflot. If the airline gets its way, they could be blacklisted.

EU Studying Impact of Iran Ship Insurance Ban: UK

16.05.2012 (10:23) | Reuters

Britain and France are studying a proposed European Union ban on insuring tankers carrying Iranian oil to see how severe an impact it would have on trade with non-EU countries, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Tuesday.

Problems of Europe’s Nabucco Gas Pipeline Project Give Russia Good Chance

15.05.2012 (15:56) | ITAR-TASS

The Western pipeline project Nabucco, conceived as an alternative gas carrier to South Stream that would be delivering Caspian gas to the European Union along a route bypassing Russia’s territory is suffering one setback after another. Germany has warned it may follow in Hungary’s footsteps to walk out of the project. Experts believe Russia has very good chances of intercepting initiative. If the idea of Nabucco is dropped for good, South Stream’s future will look far brighter.

EU Ready to Invest in Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline

15.05.2012 (10:33) | Trend News Agency

The EU is willing to fund a good part of the prospective Trans-Caspian gas pipeline (TCP), Platts reported with the reference to the EU Special Representative for Central Asia Pierre Morel.