NC KTZ JSC (Kazakhstan Railways) decided to cancel all fees, fines and charges related to rail freight transport through the country for the period of the state emergency due to the riots.

The state of emergency in Kazakhstan that followed civil unrest resulting from high gas prices has left the world in awe. The rail freight industry also worried about the possible impact of the situation on Eurasian connections and the supply chain. However, no train routes were harmed.

Kazakhstan entered a state of emergency on 5 January. On Thursday 13 January, three regions abolished it, but the rest of the country will remain like that until Wednesday 19 January to ensure that the situation will stabilise completely.

Easing charges as a response

Kazakhstan Railways decided to compensate shippers for the uncertainty and possible disturbances of the last weeks by easing charges in two fields: firstly, there will be no fine for the “non-fulfilment of an application under the Cargo Transportation Plan”. This means that any fines for administrative errors will not apply for the time that martial law is in action.

Secondly, the national railway company will not charge for any “demurrage of own wagons, delay of containers on the main, station tracks, which occurred through the fault of consignors, consignees, branch owners, or owners of wagons (containers).”

“No need to worry”

Earlier this week, KTZ informed the industry that railway traffic runs as usual through Kazakhstan. Although it has always claimed that there is little disruption to the flow of rail freight traffic through the country, it reconfirmed this stability on several occasions.

For instance, n Tuesday 11 January, it wrote: “Railway workers provide stable transportation of passenger and freight trains. On the network of KTZ, there are no trains that have been cancelled. Freight trains, including transit ones, follow the schedule, just as passenger trains.”

Also read:

• Unrest in Kazakhstan, does it impact New Silk Road trains?
• Rail freight in Kazakhstan has ‘nothing to worry about’