Service functions
Improving the quality of service for freight owners
As part of the realisation of strategic objectives aimed at increasing the competitiveness of rail transport and transforming Russian Railways from a rail only into a transport and logistics company, a number of projects were implemented starting in 2010 in the sphere of end-to-end transport technologies of freight delivery with additional options on top of a basic transport service.
Scheduled freight transport
Development of the technology of freight trains on schedule became one of the key activities.
In order to meet clients’ needs and increase revenue from freight transport, the tightly run profile for 2013 contained 1,409 freight train schedules on various routes.
Freight express
On this basis a number of new transport products are being implemented. The “freight express” project was launched in May 2013, with an objective of increasing the speed and enhancing the reliability of delivery of second and third class freight and, as consequence, strengthening the competitive position of rail transport in the high margin freight segment.
Freight train traffic is organised on the routes of stable traffic volumes from the points of mass handling on contractual basis with freight owners. More than 11.7 thousand trains proceeded within the framework of this service in 2013, and this number is constantly growing.
Customer benefits from the scheduled freight transport service
- A guarantee of timely delivery of raw materials/products to manufacturing enterprises.
- Shorter delivery time and car turnover time.
- Release of rolling stock due to shorter car turnover time.
- Just in time.
- Optimisation of logistics of enterprises.
- Reduction of transport component in overall product cost.
- Ability to plan production.
- Payment for the service via a single customer’s account with Russian Railways.
Trans-Siberian Railway in 7 days
Together with Transcontainer Russian Railways is developing the ability to cross the Trans-Siberian Railway in 7 days. Over 260 high-speed container trains proceeded within the framework of this project, with their average route speed being 1,050 km/day.
Russian Railways introduces new products based on transportation services, as well as integrated transport and logistics products, with companies from the Transportation and Logistics business unit (GEFCO, OJSC RZD Logistics).
As part of rendering integrated logistics services – alongside the project of seamless delivery technology for the freight of the Evraz Group to a plant in the Czech Republic – Russian Railways has worked with clients to launch a new transport product, Kuzbass-Southeast Asia. In September 2013, the first vessel laden with coal was dispatched from the port of Vladivostok to the Chinese port of Zhingtang.
The implementation of these projects allowed Russian Railways to enhance the reliability rate of freight delivery by 5 percentage points, reaching 77.5% in 2013.
In particular, the reliability rate of freight delivery amounted to 80.2%, with empty car delivery at 74.7%. 12.6 million shipments reached their destination stations on time.
The speed of empty car delivery increased by 3.4 km/day, while freight shipment speed increased by 6.3 km/day, reaching 192 km/day (+3.4 km/day).
Positive dynamics were also achieved in terms of the main quality parameters of operational work. In particular, the route speed of loaded routes and container trains increased. Dispatch schedule performance increased by 1.2 percentage points, while passage performance schedule increased by 8.6 percentage points, reaching 248.7 km/day (+6.3 km/day).
Benefits of the comprehensive transport service scheme
- Optimisation of logistics of enterprises.
- Guaranteed provision of rolling stock.
- Cooperation with Russian Railways on the principle of “one-stop service”.
- Reduction of transport component in product costs.
- Ability for clear planning based on vessel arrival.
- Reduction in the number of intermediaries.
- Just in time.
- Payment for the service via a single customer account with Russian Railways.