Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 18 -- Russia exported 5.7 million tonnes of crude oil to China via railway transportation in the first three quarters of 2005, an increase of 22% over the same period in 2004, according to Russian Railways Co.
Zabaykalsk, a railway port on the Sino-Russian border, exported 3.72 million tonnes of crude oil to China, increasing 34% year on year, while Naushki, a railway port on the Russian-Mongolian border, transported 1.98 million tonnes, a 4% increase over 2004.
In 2004, Russia exported 6 million tonnes of crude oil to China through its railway system, surging 68% over 2003, and it was supposed to export 10 million tonnes of crude to China in 2005, with a further increase to 15 million tonnes in 2006.
But Russia cut the 2005 figure by 30% to 7 million tonnes in August due to limited railway transportation capacity.
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].
