During this time, shipments of hard coal decreased slightly (from 3.8 to 3.6 million tons), as did shipments of metals and metal products. On the other hand, shipments of ores and pyrites increased almost fourfold, as did shipments of coke, artificial fertilizers, crude oil, wood, and stone, gravel, and lime. The results for January, although better than a year earlier, were worse than expected, partly due to difficult weather conditions.
– Let us remember that in the same period of 2009 we were dealing with temperatures oscillating above zero, while this year the frosts exceeded 20 degrees Celsius. We struggled with numerous cases of broken overhead lines, and icing of the traction prevented normal train traffic – explains Marek Zaleśny, member of the company’s management board for commercial affairs.
He also points out that a significant portion of bulk cargo recipients, primarily coal, limited shipments in January precisely because of the difficult weather conditions. Extended deliveries are associated with higher costs.