The cargo transit of Belaruskali, one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of potash fertilizers, from the Belarusian border to the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda end at midnight on January 31.
It marks the end of the transportation of fertilizers, stopped by US sanctions, that has been growing for more than a decade to reach around 11 million euros a year.
The Belarusian transit has provided tens of millions of euros in revenue to Lithuanian Railways (LTG), the country’s state-owned railway company, Biriu Kroviniu Terminalas (Bulk Cargo Terminal), co-owned by Belaruskali, as well as the state-owned port of Klaipeda.
The last train carrying potash fertilisers under the 2018 contract signed by LTG and Belaruskali to enter Lithuania at around 19:00 and reached Klaipeda by midnight, Mantas Dubauskas, spokesman for LTG, said.
Usually, around 6-7 trains with 60 railcars each cross Lithuania daily, carrying around 5,000 tons of fertilizers.
After LTG announced in the middle of January its plans to terminate its contract with Belaruskali, at least five different carriers approached LTG, willing to carry potash fertilizers from February 1, but none of the applications got approved.
“Not a single application for February has been approved,” Dubauskas said.
Transport Minister Marius Skuodis also says he has no information of any Belarusian freight going after February 1.
Several sources said, however, that the situation might change, if, for example, a court would temporarily suspend the government’s decision.
Belaruskali lodged an appeal with a Vilnius court against the Lithuanian government’s decision to order LTG to terminate the contract. The Belarusian company is asking the court to temporarily suspend the government’s resolution.
The court ruling is due early this week. (LRT/Business World Magazine)
