“Now, in terms of logistics capabilities Crimea is no different from other regions of our country”, – said the head of the region Sergey Aksenov. He commented on the important event – the launch of freight rail through the Crimean bridge. That will give freight trains the Crimea, tourists and the rest of Russia?
Two freight trains “Crimean Railways” – one from the Peninsula, the other from the mainland – went towards each other. This event marked the launch of rail freight traffic on the Crimean bridge. The last part of the largest infrastructure mosaic has developed. The project, which did not want to believe in Ukraine, is now complete.
Recall that the first ahead of schedule on the Crimean bridge was launched road – in may 2018. In December 2019, has opened the passenger train. And now, at last, over the bridge went by freight trains.
“the Effect of this project have already experienced the tourism industry of the Republic, and if the coronavirus does not restrict the movement of citizens across the country that summer of 2020 certainly would be a record number of tourists and 2020 would be a record for the Crimean economy” – said the Director of the Centre for change management, Ranepa Eugene Isakov.
The first freight trains was no longer empty. Towards the Russian mainland, a train ran through with the products of Crimean enterprises, including soda ash and limestone. To meet him, the composition of gasoline, fertilizer, grain and cement for needs of the Crimean people.
The launch of rail freight will contribute to the development of the regional economy, and the cost of carriage of the cargo may be reduced by 30-50%, said earlier the Minister of transport of Russia Eugene Dietrich. Throughput of Crimean bridge will provide the transportation of 13 million tons of cargo per year using 12 pairs of freight trains per day, said the head of the Republic of Crimea Sergey Aksenov on Tuesday on his page “Vkontakte”. However, this will happen gradually. In 2020 it is planned to carry 3 million tons of cargo, said earlier Dietrich.
“the launch of the freight railway communication will allow to increase the supply of products and raw materials in both directions, significantly reducing logistics costs, and hence production costs, will foster competition, increase the investment attractiveness of the Crimea. I hope that all this together will have a positive impact on the price situation, first of all, will help to reduce the prices of food products”, – expressed hope Feldman. “Now, in terms of logistics capabilities Crimea is no different from other regions of our country”, – says the head of the region.
High prices for food in Crimea for a long time was explained and��course major logistical costs. And even running freight transport by road didn’t help much. The regional authorities were waiting for the launch of freight cars to solve this problem.
“the railway transportation of goods over long distances 5-10 times cheaper than transporting the same goods by road.
Furthermore, train transport allows you to transport much more cargo volume. So at least the logistics component in the cost should be reduced in view of falling transport costs,” explains Eugene Isakov.
Freight transport by rail also will benefit the security of the Republic of construction materials, the cost of shipping which also will be reduced. “This will contribute to the completion of construction of socially important objects at the optimum time, the successful implementation of Federal and Republican programs,” says Feldman. In addition, with the launch of the freight cars is expected to surge in construction in the Peninsula by private investors. The same owners of hotels and resorts, the owners of tourist and entertainment infrastructure will be able to start much more actively to build new and upgrade built.
“If the projected capacity of the bridge to 13 million tons per year would indeed be achieved, it will fully cover the needs of the Republic. In 2013, the cargo turnover of the Republic amounted to about 10 million tons per year, so the opportunity to increase the turnover of up to 13 million tons per year only at the expense of rail transport will help to relieve the shortage of capacity of the transport system of the Peninsula”, – said Eugene Isakov.
“In the future, I guess the traffic will be significantly increased, which even will affect the prices and the range and quality supplied to the Crimea products,” says analyst CC “Finam” Alexey Korenev.
However not the fact that prices will drop drastically. “Crimea is a huge resort where people come to spend money. This inevitably results in increase in the cost of any goods and services. Of course, the development and expansion of the tourism industry of the Peninsula will gradually lead to growth of incomes of the Crimeans. But hardly expect that the standard of living of the majority of the population of Crimea will quickly catch up with the one in Moscow or St. Petersburg,” says Koren.
Summer prices soar, as demand for goods increases dramatically with the influx of tourists. “Prices are bid up including residents and vacationers in the Crimea more solvent citizens from other regions of Russia”, – said Isakov. For example, ten years ago, the Peninsula came much poorer Ukrainian tourists, the appearance of which so much is not reflected in the prices in the shops.
Extension of the propschnoy abilities should help balance supply and demand.
Another point – not all suppliers offer their goods and services in the Crimea, so they are afraid to fall under the sanctions. In fact, so on the Peninsula impossible to find well-known supermarket chains, branch offices of Sberbank or certain products. The lack of competition, restriction of range is also influenced pricing. And to solve this problem just run freight cars, unfortunately, will not work.
If you look on the other side, from the start of the freight rail needs to win and consumers from the mainland. In the first place Crimeans provide the Russians the opportunity to rest and recuperate. However, from the Crimea to the mainland driven, for example, wine and the same fruit. “Probably the cost of fruits and wine may also be reduced due to the logistics of the components in the price, because transport companies are not profitable to drive the cars and trucks are empty, and therefore they may reduce the shipping from the Crimea in order to fill empty containers with goods produced in the Republic,” says Eugene Isakov.
When Crimea returned to Russia, immediately began to say that the Peninsula has the potential to turn from a subsidized to a self-sufficient region-the donor. In any case, the implementation of such a large project as Crimean bridge, coupled with investments in energy self-sufficiency, as well as in the decision of problems of water supply, to facilitate disclosure of the economic potential of the region. Make a richer and Crimea, and its inhabitants and Russia as a whole.
