Ukrzaliznytsia has increased container transportation to the maximum in six years

The largest share of transportation is provided by the export of agricultural products and metallurgy.

In January-June 2026, 155.6 thousand twenty-foot containers (TEU) were transported by rail in Ukraine, which is 36% more than in the same period last year. This is reported by Rail.insider.

According to Valery Tkachev, Deputy Director of the Department of Transportation Technology and Commercial Work of Ukrzaliznytsia, the current figure is the highest in the last six years.

Despite the overall reduction in freight transportation volumes, the share of containers in the structure of railway freight traffic continues to grow. According to the results of the first half of the year, it reached a record 4.5%, while in 2025 it was 3.4%, and in 2024 – 3.6%.

The largest share of container transportation is provided by exports – 58% of the total volume. The main cargoes remain grain, vegetable oil, meal and metallurgical products.

The share of import transportation is 31%. Polymers, plastics, household appliances and machine-building products are mainly delivered to Ukraine by containers.

Another 11% is accounted for by internal container transportation, where the main cargoes are agricultural products, chemical products and ferrous metals.

The use of fitting platforms of the branch “Center of Transport Service “Lisky”” of JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia” has also increased. If last year their share was 21%, now it has increased to 34%.

Meanwhile, UZ is negotiating with neighboring countries on expanding transit corridors for the export of Ukrainian grain against the backdrop of Russian attacks on Black Sea ports.