Due to modernisation works on the Polish railway network demand for transport of aggregates (sand, gravel and clay) increased. In this commodity group transport services rose visibly - by 3.1 m tonnes - which is 34.5% increase when compared to January-March 2021. Transport of coal, lignite, crude oil and natural gas dropped by 0.9 m tonnes as compared to 1Q 2021. The shares of this commodity group in 2Q were 35.5% in weight and 22.9% in transport performance. For metal ores and other mining and quarrying products the shares in rail freight were 25.7% in weight and 26.6% in transport performance. The share of the third commodity group, i.e. coke, briquettes, refined petroleum products, gases produced by industrial methods, amounted to 11.9% in weight and 18.2% in transport performance. For one of the subgroups within this commodity group - refined petroleum products - an increase in transport was 14.8% as compared to the same period last year (8.6% for the first half of the year). However, a decrease in transport of chemicals and chemical products reached 4% (110 thous. tonnes) as compared to 1Q 2021.
The non-identifiable goods commodity group, which includes intermodal transport of consumer goods, amounted to 9.6% in weight and 12.8% in transport performance.
Increases in many commodity groups reflect a much better economic situation compared to the first half of last year - this applies to the industry and construction sectors, but also to increased consumption needs. Rail transport is an important part of the logistic processes of each of these branches. One of the examples is the automotive industry, whose results for 2Q 2021 are nearly 60% higher when we look at the weight of loads. However, we should remember that changes in transport results for each of industrial sectors may be caused by a change in demand for a selected type of transport - explains Ignacy Góra, President of the Office of Rail Transport.
Detailed data can be found on our statistics website Dane Kolejowe (Railway Data) in the Commodity groups section.