Belarus and Kazakhstan intend to step up freight shipment by rail. The plans were mentioned during a roundtable session held in Astana to promote Belarusian Railways' transport and logistic potential for transporting exports and imports to and from Kazakhstan, BelTA has learned.

The event gathered over 80 participants representing about 40 Kazakh companies specializing in mining, oil extraction, chemical industry, gas industry, metallurgy, agriculture, shipping companies, transport and logistic companies as well as representatives of Belarusian enterprises belonging to timber industry, woodworking industry, food industry, transport and forwarding companies. The logistic and transport potential of Belarusian Railways and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy was presented, in particular, their ability to transport freight between Belarus and Kazakhstan and in transit via the two countries. Participants of the roundtable session were also made familiar with capabilities and shipping services of Belarusian Railways' official forwarding company BTLC (Belintertrans – Transport-Logistics Center). Joint efforts to organize freight transportation in containers between China and Europe and between Belarus and China were also covered.

A lively dialogue followed presentations and reports. Participants of the roundtable session discussed prospects of development of existing projects and relevant transport and logistic solutions. Opinions and proposals were exchanged about further development of freight transportation between Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Close attention was paid to unhindered shipment of freight from Belarus to Kazakhstan and to China in transit via Kazakhstan, including as part of container trains. Participants of the meeting sketched out further steps of interaction able to improve effectiveness of joint work and ensure the realization of new avenues of cooperation in the area of railway logistics.