Inter-freight Logistics Department Summary as of December 19, 2025

1. Direct Rail. Rate Movement. Departure Situation. Border Crossing Situation. Transit Times.

In direct rail service from China, a steady upward trend in rates persists — over recent days, they have increased by an average of USD 150.

Transshipment times at border crossings are 5 to 15 days, which aligns with average values established recently.

Kazakhstan customs continues to control cargo destined for the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. These measures directly impact the process of coordinating train schedules. As a result, significant departure delays are being recorded at several stations, caused by unconfirmed train formation plans. This situation introduces additional uncertainty into logistics chains, which is particularly sensitive during the period of increased market load ahead of the New Year season.

2. Delivery via the Far East. Rate Movement. Port Departure Situation. Rail Placement. Transit Times. Nuances.

For the Far East route, the pricing situation remains unchanged compared to the previous period. However, delays and shifts in vessel departures persist, averaging 5-10 days, due to overall congestion of port infrastructure and unstable schedules.

Currently, vessel departures to Nakhodka from most ports are shifted to early January, while departures to Vladivostok are mostly planned for the end of December. These shifts must be considered when forming delivery schedules.

Container placement onto rail for Minsk-bound traffic is proceeding normally, with no significant changes.

A special note on the situation at Kolyadichi station (last mile). Due to non-operational crane equipment, container handling is complicated and slowed, which can lead to additional delays during pickup.

Train Departures:

• From VMTP - approximately every 5 days;
• From Nakhodka – approximately every 20 days.

Furthermore, VMTP has strict requirements for seal placement: a container is only allowed for rail transport after re-sealing. Practice shows that a significant portion of seals are initially installed in non-standard locations, leading to additional operations and temporary delays.

At the port of Nakhodka, cases of cargo re-securing - both for dangerous and non-dangerous goods - immediately before dispatch by rail have become more frequent. These measures are mandatory and aimed at complying with rail transport requirements, but can also affect dispatch timelines.

3. Delivery via the Baltics. Rate Movement. Departure Situation. Transit Times. Rail Haulage from Klaipeda. Truck Haulage from Klaipeda - News, Nuances, Border Crossing Situation.

For the sea leg to Klaipeda, on the eve of the holiday period, a rate increase is being recorded: 20' containers by 150-250 USD, 40' containers by 350-500 USD.

The average transit time from Chinese ports to the port of Klaipeda is 50-55 days. However, against the backdrop of vessel schedule shifts, delivery can stretch to 65 days or more in individual cases. Vessel departures continue to shift by an average of 3-4 days, which must be considered when planning December shipments.

Rail haulage from Klaipeda to Shabany is complicated by a shortage of rolling stock. A tariff increase has been announced effective January.

After a container arrives at the port, delivery to Shabany station takes up to 15 days. Additionally, approximately 3 days are required for customs clearance and dispatch, and up to 7 days for the return of the empty container.

Due to an acute shortage of rolling stock, waiting time for loading can reach one week, creating risks of additional costs for container storage in the port and for detention of equipment.

Separately, it is worth noting that starting in 2026, a rate increase of approximately 16% is planned (10% tariff growth + 6% due to the termination of the tax treaty with Lithuania).

 

Truck haulage from Klaipeda currently remains significantly limited.

The movement of Lithuanian vehicles on the territory of the Republic of Belarus is prohibited. Consequently, delivery is only possible via transloading from container to container or into a curtain-sider trailer.

An option for container shifting at the border using a crane (from a Lithuanian trailer to a Belarusian one) is being explored additionally. However, at the moment, full-fledged truck haulage from Lithuania is practically non-operational.

4. Delivery via Novorossiysk. Rate Movement. Departure Situation. Transit Times. Nuances.

For the sea route via Novorossiysk, a significant rate increase is being recorded: 20' containers by 500-600 USD, 40' containers by 800-1000 USD. Delivery with transshipment takes 45 – 50 days.

Container haulage to Minsk currently remains at the base level, but market participants anticipate a tariff increase closer to the New Year period. At the same time, logistics are significantly complicated by enhanced control of transit cargo; weighings, X-ray inspections, and physical examinations have become more frequent. Customs authorities are actively recording administrative violations, imposing fines even for minimal discrepancies identified during inspections.

Additional pressure on the supply chain comes from the unstable operational situation in the region. Recently, UAV attacks have become more frequent, directly impacting port and customs operations. As a result, lengthy truck idling (up to several days), prolonged transit clearance, and difficulties in obtaining slots and port appointments are being observed.

Curtain-sider trailer haulage to Minsk is carried out exclusively with transloading, via a warehouse or directly in the port. Queues for transit submission remain significant: at the NUTEP port, clearance is often delayed by 2-3 days due to limited customs control resources. Considering the seasonal factor, a rise in transportation costs is also forecasted ahead of the New Year.

5. Delivery via Saint Petersburg. Rate Movement. Departure Situation. Transit Times. Nuances.

For the sea route to the port of Saint Petersburg, another rate increase for both 20' and 40' containers is noted. Delivery is carried out on average within one and a half months, with no significant deviations from declared transit times currently recorded.

Container haulage to Minsk is operating normally. Finding a truck takes 1-2 days, transit clearance is completed within 1-2 days from loading, and the transit itself also takes 1-2 days. Depending on the cargo type, a base or specialized tariff (including for ADR) is applied.

Curtain-sider trailer haulage to Minsk also remains at the base level, but the market is factoring in a cost increase closer to the New Year period. Transloading and clearance take on average 3-5 days, and preparation for dispatch must begin in advance, at least several days prior.

6. Truck Delivery of Cargo from China. News. Nuances. Situation with LTL Cargo Clearance at Temporary Storage Warehouses.

The trucking market from China shows overall price stability. Rates for Less Than Truckload (LTL) cargo remain at the level of the previous period. However, a critically important nuance remains the storage conditions at transit warehouses, for example, in Manzhouli, where temperatures drop to -27°C. This factor requires special attention when planning the transportation of temperature-sensitive goods.

Full Truckload (FTL) cargo deliveries are carried out via both the Manzhouli and Alashankou routes. Both routes continue to operate, with transit times averaging 25-30 calendar days.

At the same time, adverse weather conditions are noted for deliveries via Alashankou. Snowfalls lead to temporary closures of certain road sections, which in some cases results in increased transit times.

At the China-Kazakhstan border crossings, no mass inspections are observed, and customs authorities are operating as usual.